Cessna 172 incident near Reading, Pennsylvania, August 27, 2008
On August 27, 2008 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N54020, was involved in an incident during landing near Reading, Pennsylvania (Reading Regional Airport/Carl). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The tower local controller permitted an aircraft to conduct a low approach and another aircraft to land on a closed runway. Contributing to the incident were the arrival radar controller who failed to correct the local controller when advised an aircraft would be landing on a closed runway and the facility management's tower staffing policy.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2008 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Reading, Pennsylvania · Reading Regional Airport/Carl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N54020 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 27, 2008, two controller operational errors occurred at Reading Regional Airport/Carl A. Spaatz Field (RDG) in Reading, Pennsylvania. The first error occurred at 1614 eastern daylight time when the tower controller cleared an aircraft for a low approach to a closed runway without providing an altitude restriction and the second error occurred about 10 minutes later when another aircraft landed on the same closed runway. At the time of the incidents, there were four controllers assigned to the facility. Two certified air traffic controllers were in the tower cab: one controller working radar approach control/flight data combined at the approach control position, one controller working the tower local control/ground control/controller-in-charge positions combined at the local control position, and two controllers were on break. Runway 18/36 was closed and had been closed for 4 weeks. Notices to airmen (NOTAM) 07/003 and 07/014 were in effect. RDG NOTAM 07/003 advised that personnel and equipment were working at the approach end of runway 18; RDG NOTAM 07/014 advised that runway 18/36 was closed from 0700 to 1700 EDT Monday through Friday. The runway closure was broadcast on the automatic terminal information service (ATIS) and posted on the status information area (SIA) board in the tower cab. Both incidents occurred during day visual meteorological conditions with 10 miles visibility. Runway 18/36 was dry.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Destination: KRDG
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 5,151 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KRDG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.