- Date
- July 16, 1986, 12:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Lock Haven, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N32777Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 30384
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 made a departure from an uncontrolled airport. During the climb in IMC conditions, the aircraft struck trees and crashed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the pilot received serious injuries. The pilot had a clearance, however, the clouds did not permit a VFR climb to altitude. The pilot entered the clouds without exact knowledge of his position or an approved departure procedure. The accident occurred in uncontrolled airspace.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32777
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7525111
- Airframe hours
- 2,235
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John D. Yatsko
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 26, 1986
- Departed
- LHV · Lock Haven, PA
- Destination
- HZL · Hazelton, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 862 total · 735 in this make and model · 766 as pilot in command · 47 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft unknown