- Date
- October 2, 1988, 13:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Cumberland, MD
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7653DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11502
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 stated that shortly after takeoff at an altitude of aprx 150 ft AGL, the engine sputtered and lost power. According to the police report, the pilot attempted to return to the airport. During the turn the wingtip contacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled. The accident was not reported for 7 months. A mechanic who purchased the engine from the pilot/owner stated that there did not appear to be any mechanical failure of the engine or its components. The pilots recommendation on how the accident could have been avoided was to use more carburetor heat during the engine run-up.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7653D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 225363
- Airframe hours
- 3,315
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert D. Roller
- Registered owner
- Robert D Roller
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 20, 1987 · 74 hours before
- Airport
- 1W3 · Mexico Farms, runway 28, 2,180 × 200 ft, grass/turf
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 860 total · 129 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F