# NTSB NYC94LA159: Cessna 172P, N52211, Pottsville, PA, August 8, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 8, 1994, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Pottsville, PA - Coordinates: 40.669631, -76.200019 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6696&lon=-76.2000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 7, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38819 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA159 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38819/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA159 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to attain adequate airpseed, which resulted in a stall/mush and collision with a tree. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - airspeed - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE PILOT HAD USED FULL FLAPS AND HIS AIRSPEED WAS 70 KTS. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND PORPOISED. THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING AND RESET THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CLIMBING AND HE COULD HEAR THE STALL HORN. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK TREES. ## Factual narrative On August 8, 1994, at 1830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N52211, piloted by Mr. Chester E. Weaver, of Columbia, Pennsylvania, struck trees during a go-around at Schuykill County Airport, Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The occupants were not injured and the airplane received substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal transportation flight which was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. In a telephone interview the pilot reported he used full flaps and 70 knots on final. He flared, but the touchdown was hard. The airplane bounced and porpoised 2 or 3 times and then full power was added for a go-around. The flaps were raised to 20 degrees and carburetor heat was turned off. The pilot reported he heard the stall horn and the airplane did not appear to be gaining altitude. There was a crosswind from the right and airplane drifted left of the runway. The nose of the airplane was up and the engine was operating normally. The airplane then struck the trees. The airport was serviced by an Automatic Weather Observation Site (AWOS). The weather was taken every 20 minutes. Following are times of observations and the recorded winds: Time Wind Direction Velocity 1801 230 4 kts 1821 230 4 kts 1841 250 3 kts 1901 240 6 kts According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 29 was 4594 feet long, 75 feet wide, and had a hard surface. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with 220 hours total time, and 28 hours in the Cessna 172. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N52211](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N52211-1995-03-13), registration cancelled 1995-03-13, S/N 17274438 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274438 - Airframe hours: 5790 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Airways, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 10, 1994, 105 hours before - Departed: LNS, LANCASTER, PA - Airport: ZER, Schuykill County, runway 29, 4,594 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 220 total, 28 in this make and model, 143 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ZER ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940808048219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940808048219A), Aug 8, 1994: Cessna 172P, No damage. (-4)The pilot reported that during the flare for landing, the airplane touched down hard. The pilot had used full flaps and his airspeed was 70 KTS. The… 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. --- 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.