NYC82FGT11

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-44-180 · Mcsherrystown, PA · April 5, 1982

Accident · Serious injuriesFinal report
Date
April 5, 1982, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
Place
Mcsherrystown, PA
Injuries
1 serious, 1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N36737Piper PA-44-180
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Status
Completed · report April 5, 1983
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19820405008429A
Case key
71638

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.

On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Light condition - nightFactor
Weather condition - snowFactor
Landing lights - not usedPilot in command
Terrain conditionFactor
Unsafe/hazardous condition warning - not usedAirport personnelCause
Visual lookout - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - ditchFactor

Analysis

The pilot reported that when he arrived at night, there were snow showers at the airport. While turning final, he turnedhis landing lights on. However, he reported that he could see better with the landing lights off, so he turned them off. After touching down on the grass runway, he elected to slow down and make a 180 degree turn to taxi back down the runway to the terminal building. During the landing roll, he moved over to the left side of the runway toward a ditch that protruded 26 ft inside the runway lights. The ditch was located about 1654 ft from the approach end of the runway where a stream crossed through a culvert, under the runway. There were indications that the ditch had erroded inside therunway lights after the airport was certified. Six yellow halves of 55 gallon drums were used to mark the obstruction, but they were not lighted. As the pilot was slowing near the left side of the runway, the left main gear and nosewheel dropped into the ditch.

Aircraft

Registration
N36737
Reported as
Piper PA-44-180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
44-7995006
Airframe hours
339
Engine
Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Fox Enterprises
Registered owner
Fox Enterprises
Departed
Harrisburg, PA
Destination
Mcsherrystown, PA
Airport
HVV · Hanover, runway 9, 2,690 × 0 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
55
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Medical
Unknown, Invalid Medical for flight
Flight hours
6,100 total · 40 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Wind
120° at 15 knots
Visibility
4 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
2,200 ft overcast

FAA reports on this event · 1

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