- Date
- May 10, 1982, 17:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Dunbar, WV
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7583HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 10, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820510014279A
- Case key
- 70521
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot took off eastbound toward multiple power lines that crossed the river. The aircraft climbed to about 100 feet and was turning left away from the wires when it nosed over and crashed into the river. The pilot did not have a seaplane rating but had recently been recommended to take the seaplane test.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7583H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-456
- Airframe hours
- 1,319
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- B F Mallory
- Registered owner
- B F Mallory
- Departed
- Dunbar, WV
- Destination
- Dunbar, WV
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,624 total · 6 in this make and model · 1,506 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Temperature
- 167 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.