Piper PA-28-140 accident near Statesville, North Carolina, July 15, 1995
On July 15, 1995 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9908W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A CRACKED CYLINDER THAT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1995 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9908W · no longer on the register · serial 2823428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB PERFORMANCE WAS LESS THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT ADDED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS, BUT THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. THE PILOT ADDED A SECOND 'NOTCH' OF FLAPS, 25 DEGREES, BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE RPMS DROPPED TO ZERO, AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A WOODED AREA, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT RUN UP AND TAKEOFF ROLL WERE NORMAL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A CRACK IN CYLINDER NUMBER FOUR, BETWEEN THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES.
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: 361 hours in all; 354 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 262 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 1995; 203 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVH at 2:35 pm
- Destination: PKB Parkersburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from HKY, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.