On February 13, 1986, a Cessna 303 (registration N4877V) operated by Steel City Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Shippenville, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, resulting in a stall. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Cessna aircraft crashed in wooded terrain southwest of Clarion County Airport while attempting a visual approach under marginal weather conditions, resulting in a stall-type impact.
What happened
The flight arrived over Clarion County Airport at approximately 2100 hours and initiated a visual approach for landing. At the time of the accident, marginal visual weather conditions prevailed. Another pilot waiting on the ground observed the aircraft through a break in the clouds as it turned left toward the southwest, appearing to establish a left downwind leg for Runway 05. The aircraft was subsequently located in a wooded area southwest of the airport.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage failed to indicate any pre-impact mechanical malfunction or system failure. The aircraft impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude, and the debris field was confined to an area consistent with a stall-type accident.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, resulting in a stall.
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