- Date
- November 14, 1987, 21:10 local (Nov 15, 1987, 02:10 UTC)
- Place
- St. Marys, PA
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3644HMooney M20C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 35989
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
While getting fuel, the pilot of the Mooney M20C and his 3 pals were attempting to remove frost with paper towels and plastic credit cards after being told by the fuel truck driver that the arpt had no ice removal solution. A witness stated that as the attempt was being made to remove the frost & ice, more frost and ice was forming. Witnesses who observed the aircraft on the takeoff stated the roll way very long; the climb and turning bank was steep; and that the aircraft descent angle was steep. The acft collided with trees and burst into flames.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3644H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M20C201258
- Airframe hours
- 3,771
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carlos D. Salas
- Registered owner
- David Salas
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 25, 1987 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- 8G5 · St. Marys, PA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 70 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None