- Date
- May 17, 1982, 14:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Punxsutawney, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2363APiper PA-38
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820517016279A
- Case key
- 72325
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
While descending to confirm his position because of encountering rain on a cross country flight the student pilot discovered an engine RPM loss. After attempting to restore power several times an emergency landing was made into a plowed field during which the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft nosed over. Engine examination revealed low compression on the number 2 cylinder due to lead deposits found between the exhaust valve and the valve seat. The magnetos were bench tested and found to have high activation speeds and erratic spark throughout their operating ranges. Upon disassembly it was found that carbon deposits and tracking existed on the distributor gear support plate and its brush was slightly misaligned and worn. The magnetos used were slick electro 4150 and 4181 which are sealed units requiring no field maintenance. Piper recommends that they be exchanged at the end of 900 hours in service. Total time in service for the subject magnetos was 714 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2363A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-78A0654
- Airframe hours
- 714
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Penn Air, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Penn Air, Inc.
- Departed
- Punxsutawney, PA
- Destination
- A00 · Altoona, PA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 31 total · 31 in this make and model · 9 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 167 °F
- Observed at
- DUJ, 17 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.