- Date
- June 12, 1983, 08:50 local (12:50 UTC)
- Place
- Collegeville, PA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N783LPiper PA-18A-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830612027619A
- Case key
- 35053
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 acft was observed to enter a steep climb after making a short takeoff roll. One witness estimated that the takeoff roll was about 400 ft & then the acft entered a climb at aprx a 35 deg angle. After reaching an altitude of about 200 to 300 ft, the acft was observe to enter a steep nose down attitude & crash. An inspection of the acft & eng was made, but no preimpact/mechanical malfunction or failures were verified.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N783L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5520
- Airframe hours
- 3,323
- Engine
- Avco Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald S. Beaver
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 1983 · 37 hours before
- Destination
- Langhorne, PA
- Airport
- N10 · Perkiomen Valley, runway 27, 2,870 × 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 970 total · 919 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABE, 27 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.