# Accident 19981002040019A: Piper PA38112, Toughenamon, PA, October 2, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 2, 1998, 15:30 local time
- Place: Toughenamon, PA
- Airport: New Garden Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8308° N, 75.7501° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8308&lon=-75.7501&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2535A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2535A-2012-10-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- Reported engine: LYC O235*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,719 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC99LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA003) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981002040019A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER JUST AFTER TAKEOFF AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED OFF THE END AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. (.4) AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS PREFLIGHTED, THE SP STARTED THE ENGINE, AND TAXIED THE AIRPLANE FOR TAKEOFF. AFTER CHECKING BOTH MAGNETOS, THE SP EXECUTED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED NORMALLY, BUT AFTER, BUT APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE CFI FELT A LOSS OF POWER. HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, EXTENDED THE FLAPS, AND STARTED TO SLIP THE AIRPLANE. WHILE SLIPPING THE AIRPLANE, THE CFI CONFIRMED THAT THE PRIMMER WAS IN, THE FUEL PUMP WAS ON, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN PASSED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY THEN WENT OVER A 30 FOOT DROP-OFF NOSE FIRST. NO MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE DETECTED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED. THE FUEL STRAINER WAS FOUND LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE ENGINE FUEL PUMP TO SUCK AIR. THE PILOT'S OPERATING HAND STATES THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT THE PILOT SHOULD DRAIN THE FUEL STRAINER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC99LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA003), Oct 2, 1998: Piper PA-38-112 (N2535A), Toughkenamon, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspections which failed to detect an open fuel strainer valve, which resulted in a loss of engine power.

## Other reports on N2535A (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19810323012129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810323012129A), Mar 23, 1981: Piper PA38112 (N2535A), Easton, PA, Destroyed. Ballooned on landing. Struck runway nose first. Collapsed nose gear. Impact wrinkled wings and fuselage.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.