- Date
- June 28, 1994, 10:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Germansville, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3807MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 23, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940628017099A
- Case key
- 8947
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain a proper descent rate which resulted in an undershoot.
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.
Analysis
During the short final approach, about 100' above ground level, the airplane's rate of sink increased. The pilot stated, 'rate of sink increased....power was applied and pitch attitude increased....aircraft continued to sink...touching down...approximately 150' from [the] runway....' The airplane nosed over after encountering high vegetation. Post accident examination revealed no pre-accident related discrepancies.
Factual narrative
On June 28, 1994, at 1045 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N3807M, was substantially damaged, when it landed short of the runway at the Flying M Aerodrome, Germansville, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured, but the passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated,
At approximately 100' [above ground level], on short final approach, aircraft rate of sink increased substantially to where it became apparent that [the] runway would not be made without application of power. Accordingly, power was applied and pitch attitude increased so as to arrest descent rate. Aircraft continued to sink. Touching down gently in wheat field approximately 150' from runway 26 threshold....
After touchdown, the airplane rolled approximately 75 feet and the landing gear became entangled in wheat stalks causing the airplane to nose over.
Postaccident examination by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed, no discrepancies with the airplane or engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3807M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2729
- Airframe hours
- 2,850
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Eleanorm & Francis Carney
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1993 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- PA88
- Destination
- PA88
- Airport
- PA88 · Flying M Aerodrome, runway 26, 2,370 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 201 total · 150 in this make and model · 81 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.