- Date
- June 20, 1982, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hobart, IN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N897SPPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820620024199A
- Case key
- 71039
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
During takeoff, the engine lost power at an altitude of about 150 to 200 ft AGL. Subsequently, during a forced landing, the aircraft flew through a row of trees when the pilot tried to reach an open area that turned out to be a grave yard. The pilot believed that each fuel tank was at least 1/4 full and reported that the power loss occurred during a normal climb. The fire wall fuel strainer and carburetor bowl were found full of fuel and no contamination was noted. Also, an examination of the engine revealed no preimpact failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N897SP
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3555
- Airframe hours
- 3,676
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jack T. Hubbard
- Registered owner
- Jack T. Hubbard
- Departed
- 3HO · Hobart, IN
- Destination
- LRP · Laporte, IN
- Airport
- 3HO · Hobart, runway 18, 3,125 × 40 ft, asphalt
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,565 total · 450 in this make and model · 85 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 149 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N897SP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.