Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
University Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
State College, Pennsylvania 16801
Sunday, April 6, 2008 16:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated, that he and his student were on a training flight. The CFI conducted a preflight inspection, and no anomalies were noted. After the preflight, he taxied to runway 24, added full power, and the engine was developing 2,400 rpm. He recalled that he rotated the airplane at 65 knots, and that during climb out, at about 300 feet, the power dropped to 2,100 rpm. He acknowledged that he knew he had a problem so he completed the emergency checklist, and made a precautionary off field landing. During the precautionary landing the airplane struck a ditch and nosed over. Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that valve train continuity was established. Further examination revealed that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the engine, and the decrease in engine power could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/6/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | State College |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16801 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 405058N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0775055W |
| Event Location Airport | UNIVERSITY PARK |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | UNV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1239 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1520 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UNV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1239 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24323 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 30 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2008 6:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Harrisburg FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N15FA |
| NTSB Number | MIA08CA087 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | American Aviation Corp. (AAC) |
| Aircraft Model | Grumman AA 1B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA1B-0014 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1560 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 30 |
| Airframe Hours | 2363 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Mahoney Meredith |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 215 Ira Lane |
| Aircraft Owner City | Port Matilda |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 16870 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Snapflight USA Incorporated |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 215 Ira Lane |
| Operator City | Port Matila Lane |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 16870 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | UNV |
| Departure City | STATE COLLEGE |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | UNV |
| Destination City | STATE COLLEGE |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 14 2008 9:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 6701 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |