NYC94LA159

Factual narrative

On August 8, 1994, at 1830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N52211, piloted by Mr. Chester E. Weaver, of Columbia, Pennsylvania, struck trees during a go-around at Schuykill County Airport, Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The occupants were not injured and the airplane received substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal transportation flight which was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. In a telephone interview the pilot reported he used full flaps and 70 knots on final. He flared, but the touchdown was hard. The airplane bounced and porpoised 2 or 3 times and then full power was added for a go-around. The flaps were raised to 20 degrees and carburetor heat was turned off. The pilot reported he heard the stall horn and the airplane did not appear to be gaining altitude. There was a crosswind from the right and airplane drifted left of the runway. The nose of the airplane was up and the engine was operating normally. The airplane then struck the trees. The airport was serviced by an Automatic Weather Observation Site (AWOS). The weather was taken every 20 minutes. Following are times of observations and the recorded winds: Time Wind Direction Velocity 1801 230 4 kts 1821 230 4 kts 1841 250 3 kts 1901 240 6 kts According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 29 was 4594 feet long, 75 feet wide, and had a hard surface. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with 220 hours total time, and 28 hours in the Cessna 172. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE PILOT HAD USED FULL FLAPS AND HIS AIRSPEED WAS 70 KTS. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR AND PORPOISED. THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING AND RESET THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CLIMBING AND HE COULD HEAR THE STALL HORN. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK TREES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12