Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Washington County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Washington, Pennsylvania 15301
Sunday, September 9, 2012 7:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Shortly after the airplane lifted off the runway, the pilots observed a flock of geese approaching from the right. The pilot-in-command believed that the birds would impact the cockpit windows, so he pushed forward on the control yoke to descend and avoid such a collision. The airplane struck the runway hard and bounced back into the air. The pilots continued the takeoff and returned to the airport for an uneventful landing. Postaccident examination revealed structural damage to the airframe. Also, bird remains were found on the fuselage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The airplane’s encounter with a flock of geese during takeoff, which resulted in the airplane’s hard impact with the runway while the pilot maneuvered in an attempt to avoid the geese.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/9/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 710 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Washington |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 15301 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400811N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801725W |
| Event Location Airport | Washington County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AFJ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1184 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 715 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AFJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1184 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31132 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Allegheny FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 19 2013 12:44PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3591P |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA557 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-31-325 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 31-8012081 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6840 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 5 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 28 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 15131 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AERONATIONAL INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 538 |
| Aircraft Owner City | WASHINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 15301-0538 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AERONATIONAL INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 538 |
| Operator City | WASHINGTON |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 15301-0538 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | AFJ |
| Departure City | Washington |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 707 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BGR |
| Destination City | Bangor |
| Destination State | ME |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 10 2013 2:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | reej |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 5004 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | Yes |
| Medical Flight | -- |