Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Washington County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Washington, Pennsylvania 15301
Tuesady, March 11, 2014 14:08 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On March 11, 2014, about 1408 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Avid Bandit, N62PT, was destroyed after impacting the ground during touch and go landings at Washington County Airport (AFJ), Washington, Pennsylvania. The sole occupant, a private pilot, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed about 1340.
According to two eyewitnesses who work at the airport, the airplane turned from a left base to final approach for runway 27 at AFJ. As the pilot attempted to establish the airplane on short final for the runway, it entered an approximate 90 degree left bank, followed by a continuous descending left turn towards the ground. The airport witnesses did not observe the airplane impact terrain. The witnesses responded by dialing 911 and assisting with general rescue operations.
Another witness about 1 nautical mile from the approach end of runway 27 at AFJ, stated that she was outside cleaning her windows when she heard the accident airplane engine. She turned to see the accident airplane "wobbling" from side to side and then described a hard left, descending turn with the airplane's nose pointing towards the ground. She did not see the airplane impact terrain but heard a "muffled" sound that she thought was an impact. She also stated that in the six years that she has lived at the residence, the accident airplane was much lower than any other airplane that she had observed in the touch and go traffic pattern at AFJ.
Initial examination of the airplane revealed that the both wings and the forward fuselage were destroyed. All major components of the airframe and engine were located and transferred to a secure location for further examination.
A GPS unit was retained and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory in Washington, D. C. for data download.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/11/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1408 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Washington |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 15301 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400810N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801650W |
| 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 | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 90 |
| Airport Elevation | 1184 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1415 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AFJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1184 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 10 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.68 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 2014-03-11 14:15 METAR KAFJ 111815Z AUTO 22007G17K |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2014 12:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N62PT |
| NTSB Number | ERA14FA153 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | WATERS PETER T |
| Aircraft Model | AVID BANDIT |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1509E |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NOVODRAN IGOR A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PITTSBURGH |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 152413502 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | NOVODRAN IGOR A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PITTSBURGH |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 152413502 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | AFJ |
| Departure City | Washington |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | AFJ |
| Destination City | Washington |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2014 12:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 5004 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |