- Date
- October 13, 1994, 11:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Beans Cove, PA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4878ZPiper PA-22-108
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941013034819A
- Case key
- 38883
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's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance which resulted in an inflight collision with a tree.
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
The pilot was doing a low pass over his property when the airplane struck a tree and descended nose down to the ground. According to the pilot, he applied full power to clear a power line during which the airplane struck a tree. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On October 13, 1994 about 1140 eastern daylight time, N4878Z, a Piper PA-22-108 airplane, a personal flight, collided with a tree during a low pass near Beans Cove, Pennsylvania. Visual meteorological conditions existed. The certificated private pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was destroyed. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, "I came through making a low pass. I gave full power to climb out, climbed over a power line and trees at that point. I started to level out, and at that point, the right side hit a tree top that I had not seen. The plane nosed over and ended nose first on the ground."
The FAA interviewed the pilot, and a witness of the accident. According to the FAA, the pilot reported the low pass was over his property. He also stated the engine operated satisfactory. The witness indicated "the airplane landed, flew again, then hit a tree.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4878Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-8459
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William D. Robosson
- Registered owner
- William D. Robosson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1994
- Departed
- 1W3 · Cumberland, MD
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 179 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AOO, 210 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.