Piper PA-28-180 accident near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1994
On October 10, 1994 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8908J, was destroyed in an accident near Ebensburg, 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 LOSS OF PARTIAL ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAGNETO'S NYLON GEAR ON THE ROTATING MAGNET AND THE LOW COMPRESSION IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1994 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ebensburg, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8908J · no longer on the register · serial 28-2887
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN BUT THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE STATED HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A CLEARING BELOW THE FLIGHT PATH. AFTER TOUCH DOWN, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE RIGHT MAGNETO'S NYLON GEAR ON THE ROTATING MAGNET HAD FAILED. THE EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HELD ABOUT 10 POUNDS OF COMPRESSION. THE CYLINDER WAS DISMANTLED AND THE VALVES AND SEATS WERE BURNED AND ERODED. THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER PRIMER LINE WAS BROKEN. AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE HAD A FULL FUEL LOAD, 2 PASSENGERS, BAGGAGE, AND CARGO ON BOARD. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 235 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL AND 77 HOURS SINCE ITS LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 3,389 HOURS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 556 hours in all; 217 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 387 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,389 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1994; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LEX Lexington KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from JST, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.