# Accident 20121012026649A: Piper PA-28-140, Allentown, PA, October 12, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 12, 2012, 18:35 local time
- Place: Allentown, PA
- Airport: Lehigh Valley International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: GU7A
- Location: 40.5022° N, 75.4406° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5022&lon=-75.4406&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15037, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15037) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,106 total, 500 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA025) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121012026649A

## Narrative

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

ON OCTOBER 12, 2012, ABOUT 1835 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N15037, OPERATED BY ACE PILOT TRAINING INC., WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB FROM LEHIGH VALLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ABE), ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND PRIVATE PILOT WERE NOT INJURED. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PLANNED LOCAL FLIGHT. THE CFI STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED TO 36 GALLONS PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. THE ENGINE START-UP, TAXI, AND RUN-UP WERE NORMAL. WHILE DEPARTING FROM RUNWAY 31, ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE CFI NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE LEVER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COMPLETELY FORWARD. HE AND THE PRIVATE PILOT PUSHED THE THROTTLE LEVER FULL FORWARD WITH RESISTANCE, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY ENGINE SPUTTERING. THE CFI THEN APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SPUTTER. HE THEN ELECTED TO LAND IN A CORN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE ENGINE FIREWALL AND RIGHT AILERON WERE DAMAGED. UPON EXAMINATION AND TESTING, WHICH INCLUDED ENGINE RUNS AND DISASSEMBLY OF COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH MAGNETOES WERE DEFECTIVE. ONE HAD A LOOSE GEAR AND THE OTHER WAS MISSING APPROXIMATELY 1/3 OF THE TEETH ON A GEAR. BOTH MAGNETOES HAD BEEN ON THE ENGINE SINCE OVERHAULED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND HAD ACHIEVED 2,228 HOURS IN SERVICE WITH NO MAINTENANCE RECORD ENTRIES SHOWING ANY WORK BEING PERFORMED ON THEM.

## 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 ERA13LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA025), Oct 12, 2012: Piper PA-28-140 (N15037), Allentown, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The operator's failure to perform magneto inspections per the manufacturer's recommendations and failure to comply with the engine manufacturer's recommended time interval for engine overhaul, which…

## Other reports on N15037 (1)

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

- [Accident 20041129030709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041129030709A), Nov 29, 2004: Piper PA28140 (N15037), Allentown, PA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated that on his final approach to "1N9" his airspeed was 80 mph, and over the numbers, he closed the throttle for his level off. Upon tochdown…

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.

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