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NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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December 11, 1985 · Piper PA-30 · N7770Y

Corning, NY

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 11, 1985
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Corning, NY
Aircraft
Piper PA-30
Tail Number
N7770Y
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL86FA039

DURING ILS RUNWAY 6 APPROACH ACFT HIT HIGH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE OUTER MARKER. WHEN ON DOWNWIND FOR APPROACH PILOT SAID HE WAS NOT RECEIVING THE LOCALIZER AND ASKED FOR A SURVEILLANCE APPROACH. CONTROLLER SAID HE COULD NOT PROVIDE. WHEN CLEARED FOR THE ILS APPROACH PILOT SAID HE WAS EXPECTING AN APPROACH TO ELMIRA. CONTROLLER SAID HE WAS GETTING APPROACH TO ELMIRA AND REPEATED CLEARANCE. PILOT SAID HE HAD AN APPROACH CHART FOR RUNWAY 24 BUT NOT 6. HE WAS GIVEN LOCALIZER FREQ. AND LATER REPORTED ON THE LOCALIZER COURSE. RADAR DISPLAY INDICATED SAME. POST CRASH TESTING SHOWED GLIDE SLOPE RECEIVER IN ACFT WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT BUT CAPABLE OF FUNCTIONING. ACFT APPEARED TO HAVE FLOWN INTO TREES IN LEVEL ATTITUDE.

Full Narrative

DURING ILS RUNWAY 6 APPROACH ACFT HIT HIGH TERRAIN SHORT OF THE OUTER MARKER. WHEN ON DOWNWIND FOR APPROACH PILOT SAID HE WAS NOT RECEIVING THE LOCALIZER AND ASKED FOR A SURVEILLANCE APPROACH. CONTROLLER SAID HE COULD NOT PROVIDE. WHEN CLEARED FOR THE ILS APPROACH PILOT SAID HE WAS EXPECTING AN APPROACH TO ELMIRA. CONTROLLER SAID HE WAS GETTING APPROACH TO ELMIRA AND REPEATED CLEARANCE. PILOT SAID HE HAD AN APPROACH CHART FOR RUNWAY 24 BUT NOT 6. HE WAS GIVEN LOCALIZER FREQ. AND LATER REPORTED ON THE LOCALIZER COURSE. RADAR DISPLAY INDICATED SAME. POST CRASH TESTING SHOWED GLIDE SLOPE RECEIVER IN ACFT WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT BUT CAPABLE OF FUNCTIONING. ACFT APPEARED TO HAVE FLOWN INTO TREES IN LEVEL ATTITUDE.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:23 EST
Nearest AirportELMIRA (5nm WSW)
Runway6
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-30
Tail NumberN7770Y
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-320-BIA · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 56 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind10° @ 6 kt
Visibility2 sm
CeilingOvercast 400 ft
Temperature / Dew Point39 C / 37 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time15:30
Weather SourceWFAC

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Appendix: Source Data