Wednesday, June 08, 2016

Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair SH-2F, N666GJ: Accident occurred June 08, 2016 at University Park Airport (KUNV), State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania

http://registry.faa.gov/N666GJ

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Harrisburg FSDO-13

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA315
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, June 08, 2016 in State College, PA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/27/2016
Aircraft: SEELA GERALD L GLASAIR SH 2F, registration: N666GJ
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

According to the pilot, he was returning to his home airport after purchasing the accident airplane, but prior to returning home, the pilot had received a two hour checkout in the airplane. Upon arrival, the weather had deteriorated, rain made it hard to see and the wind was gusting. The pilot reported that he had to go around during the first landing due to the wind. He reported that during the second landing he undercompensated for the wind and the airplane landed hard, bounced and touched down again off the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.

The pilot reported that during both approaches he had trouble manipulating the throttle; it appeared to stick and unstick at times making engine performance and power application erratic, resulting in an unstabilized approach, and compensation for the gusting wind difficult.

The wind at the airport at the time of the accident was reported as 310 degrees true, 18 knots, with gusts to 35 knots. The pilot landed runway 24, and reported that he should have chosen another airport with a crosswind runway.

Further, following the accident, the pilot realized that he was not familiar enough with the airplane's Vernier type throttle, as his past experience was with a lever type throttle.

An FAA inspector who examined the airplane after the accident reported that the Vernier throttle operated normally.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's hard landing in gusting wind conditions. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's unfamiliarity with the newly purchased airplane's throttle resulting in an unstable approach, and the pilot's ability to compensate for the wind.




University Park re-opened at about 3:30 p.m. after a small aircraft crash-landed Wednesday.

A small plane crashed at 1:24 p.m. on Wednesday at University Park Airport, but there were no injuries.

Penn State spokesperson Heather Robbins said the plane's pilot was the only individual onboard and he was not taken to the hospital. 

Local fire departments, University Park Police and Emergency Management responded and were on the scene until about 3 p.m. when the plane was towed from the runway.

The flight was coming from out of state and University Park was its final destination.

The airport was closed until the plane was documented and cleared from the runway and the scene was declared clear by the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Two flights were re-routed, with FAA air traffic control will determining re-routing of flights. 

The cause of the crash was not yet available and will be the subject of an FAA investigation. University Park police are assisting in the investigation.


Original article can be found here: http://www.statecollege.com







A pilot crash landed a private airplane at University Park Airport.

No one sustained injuries in the crash, according to Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers.

The crash landing occurred at 1:24 p.m Wednesday, according to university spokeswoman Heather Robbins. The crash landing reportedly caused a small fire, though the university clarified there was none. Firefighters sprayed down the scene for about a half hour after the crash landing.

The flight was a small aircraft coming from out of state, and University Airport was its final destination. Robbins could not identify the pilot.

“The official cause of the crash will have to be determined by the FAA investigation,” Robbins said.

The plane, according to aircraft registration, is a 1989 Seela Gerald L Glasair SH-2F, which can seat two people.

Powers said the airport was shut down, and the Federal Aviation Administration approved the airport’s reopening at about 3:20 p.m. Robbins said two flights were diverted.

Undine and Logan fire companies and Penn State Haz-Mat were dispatched to the scene.

According to National Transportation Safety Board records, UPA has had eight crashes since 1984. All but one have been nonfatal, and most have involved small non-commercial aircraft like Pipers and Cessnas.

The NTSB shows 12 other crashes in Centre County. Five were fatal.

Original article can be found here: http://www.centredaily.com

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