# Accident 20160616006819A: Piper PA-31-325, State College, PA, June 16, 2016 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 16, 2016, 08:30 local time - Place: State College, PA - Airport: University Park - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: Z3OA - Location: 40.8428° N, 77.8425° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8428&lon=-77.8425&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3591P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3591P-2018-10-18) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-31-325 (registry code 7103105, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-325) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-325 - Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 12,400 total, 1,613 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA215) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160616006819A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA16FA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA215), Jun 16, 2016: Piper PA31 (N3591P), State College, PA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to continue an unstabilized instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. ## Other reports on N3591P (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20120909026619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120909026619A), Sep 9, 2012: Piper PA-31-325 (N3591P), Washington, PA, Substantial damage. N3591P encountered a flock of four geese immediately after rotation. Pilot descended the aircraft while attempting to avoid the geese and contacted the runway… - [Incident 20101120053269I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101120053269I), Nov 20, 2010: Piper PA-31-325 (N3591P), Philadelphia, PA, Minor damage. Aicraft 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… - [Incident 19990715034419I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990715034419I), Jul 15, 1999: Piper PA31325 (N3591P), Battle Creek, MI, Minor damage. (-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… - [Incident 19901210064689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901210064689I), Dec 10, 1990: Piper PA31325 (N3591P), Hollsboro, OH. Aircraft developed radio problems. Inadvertently flew through restricted area and was intercepted by military T39 From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.