Aircraft Crash During Missed Approach Near Reading

Casualties unknown • Hamburg, PA, US

An aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain approximately 13 miles north of the airport while the pilot was executing a missed approach to Runway 36.

What happened

The pilot was cruising at 4,000 feet while en route to Reading. Upon receiving clearance for an ILS approach to Runway 36, the aircraft was positioned 3 miles from the outer marker (LOM). The LOM is situated 3.9 miles from the end of Runway 36, and the required glideslope intercept altitude was 1,636 feet MSL.

Approximately seven minutes after accepting the approach clearance, the pilot contacted Air Traffic Control to announce that he was executing a missed approach. The wreckage was subsequently located in mountainous terrain at an elevation of approximately 1,100 feet, roughly 13 miles north of the airport.

Based on a final recorded groundspeed of 174 knots, calculations indicate the aircraft traveled approximately 20 nautical miles between the time the approach clearance was received (at 6.9 NM from the airport) and the commencement of the missed approach.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1992-04-17 Piper PA-23-250 accident near Hamburg, PA?

An aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain approximately 13 miles north of the airport while the pilot was executing a missed approach to Runway 36.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1992-04-17 involved a Piper PA-23-250, registration N62774, operated by Basco Flying Service, Inc., at Hamburg, PA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION, HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER IFR PROCEDURES, AND AN IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH RISING TERRAIN DURING THE EXECUTION OF THE MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND…

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X14497. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

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