BFO86FA005

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-23-250 · Coatesville, PA · November 12, 1985

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
November 11, 1985, 23:50 local (Nov 12, 1985, 04:50 UTC)
Place
Coatesville, PA
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N54136Piper PA-23-250
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19851111062809A
Case key
11196

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightApproach
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Weather condition - rainFactor
Weather condition - unfavorable windFactor
Weather condition - windshearFactor
Weather condition - turbulenceFactor
Weather condition - below approach/landing minimumsFactor
Aircraft handling - not maintained
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

There was no wx rprtg stn at Coatesville, but aprx 25 mi ese at philadelphia, the forecast was for ocnl ceilings of 600'OVERCAST, vis 3 mi with lgt rain showers & fog. There were flt prctns for turbc blo 5000' due to wnd shear, ceilings & vis freq blo 1000' & 3 mi with stratus, lgt drizzle & fog. Drg arrival, the acft was vectored for a VOR rwy 29 apch (ilswas out of svc). On his 1st attempt, the plt made a missed apch. He got vectors to fly the apch again & said he would proceed to philadelphia, if a lndg could not be completed. On the 2nd apch, the acft dscndd blo radar coverage at 1800' MSL, aprx 3 mi ese of the arpt. Subsequently, it crashed aprx 1 mi nne of the rwy threshold, while in a steep nose dwn attitude. The main wreckage came to rest 44' nne of the principal impact point. No preimpact mechanical problems were found. The stabilator trim was noted in the full nose dwn position; but the sys's integrity was not maintained drg the acdnt. Wx study indcd cld bases were at 900' MSL. Min dscnt alt (mda) for the apch was 1060' MSL; arpt elev was 662'.

Aircraft

Registration
N54136
Reported as
Piper PA-23-250
Category
Airplane
Serial number
277405444
Airframe hours
3,457
Engine
Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Part 135
Registered owner
Chester County Aviation, Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 21, 1985 · 61 hours before
Departed
ELM · Elmira, NY
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
40N · Chester County, runway 29, 4,600 × 100 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
24
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
2,200 total · 150 in this make and model · 1,990 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Wind
80° at 14 knots
Visibility
4 statute miles
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 50 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
ILG, 22 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.