Piper PA-18 accident near Montpelier, Vermont, August 28, 1994
On August 28, 1994 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N720PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montpelier, Vermont. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR REASONS UNDETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1994 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Montpelier, Vermont
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N720PC · registry record · serial 18-5177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL FOR APPROACH TO RUNWAY 23, HE REDUCED POWER. HE STATED THAT AS HE CONTINUED HIS APPROACH HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE STATED THAT HE THROTTLED FORWARD THREE MORE TIMES BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE CHECKED AND VERIFIED THAT THE MIXTURE AND CARBURETOR HEAT WERE PROPERLY SET. HE STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO INCREASE THE AIRPSEED SO HE COULD FLARE ABOVE POWER LINES THAT WERE IN HIS PATH, BUT THE GEAR STRUCK THE LINES AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS FLIGHT EARLIER HE HAD USED THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND IT WAS OPERATIONAL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 71 AND 59 DEGREES F, RESPECTIVELY AND ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS THESE CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR CARBURETOR ICING.
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: 538 hours in all; 231 in this make and model; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1994; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MPV VT at 1:55 pm
- Destination: MPV VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MPV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.