- Date
- December 3, 1995, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Somerset, PA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1945HPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951203039439A
- Case key
- 39130
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 improper planning/decision and use of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing, which resulted in a collision with an embankment and subsequent nose over of the airplane. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, and approaching darkness (dusk).
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 a cross-country flight, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather. He reported that the airplane's VOR failed and that there was no other navigation equipment on board. Also, he said the wind must have blown the airplane off course and that he could not locate the destination airport. Due to the airplane's low fuel state and approaching darkness, he elected to make a precautionary landing in a field. The airplane touched down long and fast, became airborne, then hit a dirt embankment and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On December 3, 1995, about 1700 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N1945H, registered to We Rent Aircraft Inc., Grove City, Ohio, and operating as a 14 CFR Part 91, personal flight, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which originated at Patrick Henry Airport, Newport News, Virginia, about 1330. The private pilot and passenger received serious injuries.
The flight was destined for Lancaster, Ohio, and the pilot stated:
...before reaching [the] mountains, the only nav system (VOR) failed (only one vor in plane) no NDB or LORAN. Heading was 285, wind must have increased and pushed aircraft north in clouds in excess of 8000 feet, which was given at briefing...descended at 2G9 [Somerset County], unable to locate airport...due to rain and approaching darkness and low fuel, attempted to land in open field...rolled uphill and over and was airborne again. Speed increased and overshot field across road and flipped over when hit embankment.
The pilot had elected to perform a precautionary landing to an open field, which was estimated to be 2,500 feet long, and was located about 2 miles north of the Somerset Airport.
The FAA examination of the crash site and airplane revealed that the airplane touched down approximately "two-thirds" of the way down the grass field, at a "higher than normal landing speed." Approximately "four to five" gallons of fuel were drained from the fuel tanks.
The 1700 observation from the Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) at Somerset Airport, recorded the following: a ceiling of 1600 feet overcast, visibility of 3.5 miles, and winds from 260 degrees, at 10 knots.
According to the pilot, the reported local weather was; 4,000 overcast, visibility 5 miles, temperature 40 degrees F, winds from 180 degrees, at 10 knots, gusts to 15 knots, altimeter 29.95.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1945H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7725171
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- We Rent Aircraft Inc.
- Departed
- PHF · Newport News, VA
- Destination
- I15 · Lancaster, OH
- Airport
- 2G9 · Somerset County, runway 6, 4,697 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 20 in this make and model · 150 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 3.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft overcast
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 2G9, 2 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.