Amateur-built PJ260 SR Aero Sport accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania, June 23, 2007
On June 23, 2007 at about 7:13 pm local time, a amateur-built PJ260 SR Aero Sport, registered N85136, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed while maneuvering to avoid a stall, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin, and collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2007 · about 7:13 pm local time
- Place
- Lehighton, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PJ260 SR Aero Sport
- Registration
- N85136 · registry record · serial II
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A commercial pilot was flying with the student pilot/airplane owner on a demonstration flight. In statements provided to the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilots contradicted each other on who was flying the airplane immediately prior to the accident. The student pilot said the commercial pilot was flying, and allowed the airplane to get too slow, and the airplane stalled and entered a flat spin. The commercial pilot said the student pilot demonstrated a stall, failed to recover, and the airplane entered a flat spin. Both pilots agree that the student was on the controls during the attempted spin recovery. The airplane did not recover from the spin, and collided with trees, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident inspection by an FAA inspector disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies. The commercial pilot stated that he was unaware that the student pilot was not a certificated pilot.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 14N Lehighton PA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 14N Lehighton PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from ABE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.