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20160616006819A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-325 · State College, PA · June 16, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 16, 2016 · 08:30 local
Place
State College, PA
Airport
University Park
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
Z3OA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N3591P
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA16FA215
Reported as
Piper PA-31-325
Reported engine
Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
12,400 total1,613 in this make and model56 in the last 90 days
N3591PRegistration cancelled Oct 18, 2018 · Piper PA-31-325S/N 31-8012081 · Built 1980Airframe modelPiper PA-31-325Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The aircraft was destroyed during

Collision with terrain while on approach to University Park Airport (unv), State College, Pennsylvania. The airplane departed Washington county airport (afj), Washington, Pennsylvania, about 0800. Conditions were IMC and an IFR flight plan was filed and was conducted under 14 CFR part 135. At 0824:25, ATC provided the airplane with a heading to intercept the final approach course for the ILS approach to runway 24 at unv, and cleared the airplane for the approach. At 0824:45, the airplane was advised that radar services were terminated, and was instructed to change radio frequencies and contact the unv ATC tower. At 0825, the airplane contacted unv tower and announced "?with you on the approach." The tower controller acknowledged the call and issued a landing clearance. There were no further communications with the airplane despite multiple attempts by ATC. At 0843:50, an airport operations ground vehicle operating at the approach end of runway 24 identified

Smoke in a woodline about 1 mile northeast of the airport, and notified the control tower. The source of the smoke was later identified as the accident site. At 0853, the weather recorded at unv included an overcast ceiling at 300 feet, calm wind, and

Visibility 1 statute mile in mist. The temperature was 17 degrees c, and the dew point was 17 degrees c. the altimeter setting was 29.80 inches of mercury.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED DURING

COLLISION WITH TERRAIN WHILE ON APPROACH TO UNIVERSITY PARK AIRPORT (UNV), STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED WASHINGTON COUNTY AIRPORT (AFJ), WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ABOUT 0800. CONDITIONS WERE IMC AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135. AT 0824:25, ATC PROVIDED THE AIRPLANE WITH A HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24 AT UNV, AND CLEARED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE APPROACH. AT 0824:45, THE AIRPLANE WAS ADVISED THAT RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE RADIO FREQUENCIES AND CONTACT THE UNV ATC TOWER. AT 0825, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED UNV TOWER AND ANNOUNCED "?WITH YOU ON THE APPROACH." THE TOWER CONTROLLER ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL AND ISSUED A LANDING CLEARANCE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE DESPITE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BY ATC. AT 0843:50, AN AIRPORT OPERATIONS GROUND VEHICLE OPERATING AT THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 24 IDENTIFIED

SMOKE IN A WOODLINE ABOUT 1 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT, AND NOTIFIED THE CONTROL TOWER. THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS THE ACCIDENT SITE. AT 0853, THE WEATHER RECORDED AT UNV INCLUDED AN OVERCAST CEILING AT 300 FEET, CALM WIND, AND

VISIBILITY 1 STATUTE MILE IN MIST. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 17 DEGREES C, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 17 DEGREES C. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.80 INCHES OF MERCURY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA16FA215Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportState College, PAThe pilot's decision to continue an unstabilized instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.Jun 16, 2016 · Destroyed

Other reports on N3591P · 4

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20120909026619ATakeoff: Rotation · Washington, PAN3591P encountered a flock of four geese immediately after rotation. Pilot descended the aircraft while attempting to avoid the geese and contacted the runway with a high rate of descent, bounced back into the air, and initiated a go-around. The aircraft…Sep 9, 2012 · Substantial damageIncident 20101120053269ILanding: Touchdown · Philadelphia, PAAicraft arrived kphl in VMC conditions, intercepted ILS rwy 26, was cleared to land. After landing pilot notified tower "we did a gear up". Initial contact marks on runway from the belly of aircraft began around 1150' down the runway, an additional 20'…Nov 20, 2010 · Minor damageIncident 19990715034419IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Battle Creek, MI(-23) See attached faxed statment from pilot dated 7/21/99. Amended 09/13/99 to update block 22. The following is from david d. faust: damage to N3591P pa 31-325) date: July 15, 1999, place: north ramp area butler county/k.w. scholter field (btp) personnel:…Jul 15, 1999 · Minor damageIncident 19901210064689INormal Cruise · Hollsboro, OHAircraft developed radio problems. Inadvertently flew through restricted area and was intercepted by military T39Dec 10, 1990