Aerodrome Circuit For Johnstown Options

[Zaphod 36]

Few years ago I have met Terry Butler at Stoystown Autwreckers. He told me his story from the point where he had observed Flight 93. There was one thing which mades me wonder: He told me that the plane has made a normal(controlled) turn to the southeast in this area(near Stoystown).
The media always reported that Flight 93 makes uncontrolled moves in the air.

There is a Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) near Stoystown. Link
Can it be that Flight 93 had used this NDB to make an Aerodrome Circuit for a Landing at Johnstown Airport?
The direction of the runway(to southeast) at Johnstown Airport and the wind(to southeast) should be right. If the turn over Stoystown was a 45-degree-turn into downwind, this would also fit to an Aerodrome Circuit.

My question to the pilots here:
How would you prepare and perform an Aerodrome Circuit to Johnstown Airport(coming from West), using the NDB over Stoystown?

[Domenick DiMaggi...]

the plane was quite high at that point from bob blair and doug millers account, they were close to the autowreckers on route 30 when they first saw it. for argument sake, it was 'flight 93' they and terry saw. way too high to know for sure. it was heading towards the southeast though. this would put it on a direct path over indian lake. that all lines up. notice he didnt say it was upside down or moving in an erratic behavior. this is only a couple miles the way the crow flies as they say....

as for landing at johnstown, i don't believe it did. but i cant say one way or another where it went after indian lake. its just speculation on my end at that point....

although i recall the johnstown air traffic controllers stating something about how odd it was that this plane was on their radar but they couldnt establish a visual contact with it....

although the tower was evacuated....

http://youtu.be/ot-LIDl6Me0

theres a small clip right at the beginning of this about it

[rob balsamo]

the plane was quite high at that point from bob blair and doug millers account,

What is "quite high"?

500 feet? 1000 feet? 2000 feet? 10,000 feet?

"quite high" to an observer on the ground could be 2000 feet agl.... easy-peasy to land at JST from that distance and speed at that altitude. In fact, 2000 AGL would be considered low for the approach at such a wide pattern, but would seem "quite high" to an observer on the ground.

[Domenick DiMaggi...]

What is "quite high"?

500 feet? 1000 feet? 2000 feet? 10,000 feet?

"quite high" to an observer on the ground could be 2000 feet agl.... easy-peasy to land at JST from that distance and speed at that altitude. In fact, 2000 AGL would be considered low for the approach at such a wide pattern.

low enough to get their attention but not good enough to really identify it other than a commercial airliner. from their accounts i estimate less than 3000 feet. it was treetop level [100-200 feet] by the time it got to viola saylors house. its a rather short distance from the autowreckers to viola's the way the crow flies so perhaps even lower than 3000......nothing they said implied that it would be in the 10k+ range.....

This post has been edited by Domenick DiMaggio CIT: Jul 19 2012, 03:39 PM