- Date
- December 5, 1985, 15:14 local (20:14 UTC)
- Place
- Selinsgrove, PA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N652FLPiper PA-28
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851205077449A
- Case key
- 30173
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 afct was seen flying at low alt before it collided with unmarked transmission lines at a height of 170 ft AGL. The acft pitched up and then descended to the ground. The top of the rudder and vertical stabilator were severed from the acft. The collision occurred about 500 ft from the plt's home. Examination of the acft did not disclose evidence of any malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N652FL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7125565
- Airframe hours
- 5,207
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- York Aero Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 1985 · 56 hours before
- Departed
- CXY · Harrisburg, PA
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 119 total · 21 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IPT
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 N652FL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.