Piper PA-28-180 accident near Normantown, West Virginia, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7272W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Normantown, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- August 7, 1983 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Normantown, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7272W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, & SOON THEREAFTER OBSERVED THE OIL PRESS GAGE READING ZERO. THE PLT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH IT. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & A POWERLINE DURING THE FORCED LANDING. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN OIL COOLER LINE HAD RUPTURED ALLOWING THE ENG OIL SUPPLY TO BE PUMPED OVERBOARD. THE LINE WAS FOUND TO BE IN A VERY BRITTLE CONDITION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF CHAFING. THE LAST ANNUAL WAS 7/11/83. THE RUPTURED LINE HAD 794 HRS TIME IN SERVICE & HAD BEEN INSTALLED FOR ALMOST 7 YRS. THE ACFT MFGR RECOMMENDS THAT THE LINES BE REPLACED EVERY 1,000 HRS. HOWEVER, THE MFGR OF THE LINES GIVE THEM A 5-YR SHELF LIFE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 810 hours in all; 604 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 731 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 1983; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W22 Woodbridge VA
- Destination: FET Frankfort KY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.