Cessna 172 accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia, June 30, 1982
On June 30, 1982 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N61791, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia (Eastern West Virginia Re. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1982 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Martinsburg, West Virginia · Eastern West Virginia Re. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N61791 · no longer on the register · serial 17264804
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL-OFF TO CRUISE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE THE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE. A TURN WAS MADE BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. WHILE SCANNING THE INSTRUMENTS, ZERO OIL PRESSURE AND A HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE WERE NOTED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE QUIT OPERATING AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED. HE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD, AND DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OIL PUMP (LW-12897) HAD FAILED. A TEARDOWN OF THE PUMP REVEALED THAT A TOOTH HAD FAILED AND HAD BECOME WEDGED IN THE GEAR HOUSING. ALSO, THE INNER WALLS OF THE GEAR HOUSING WERE SCORED. AD 81-18-04 APPLIED TO THIS ENGINE AND PUMP, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE BECOME APPLICABLE UNTIL 2000 HOURS AFTER OVERHAUL OR UNTIL THE ACCESSORY SECTION WAS REMOVED. WHEN APPLICABLE, IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE IRON SINTERED IMPELLER WITH A HARDENED STEEL IMPELLER. THE ENGINE HAD 1410 HRS, SINCE OVERHAUL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,118 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,548 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Martinsburg WV
- Destination: Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.