Piper PA-28-180D accident near Jeannette, Pennsylvania, April 6, 1995
On April 6, 1995 at about 9:16 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180D, registered N6539J, was destroyed in an accident near Jeannette, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh-Boquet Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the magneto pinion gear failure, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climbout over usuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1995 · about 9:16 pm local time
- Place
- Jeannette, Pennsylvania · Pittsburgh-Boquet Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180D · all PA-28-180Ds on the register
- Registration
- N6539J · registry record · serial 28-4981
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI REPORTED THAT DURING TAKE OFF CLIMB, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED ITS RIGHT MAGNETO'S PINION GEAR HAD FAILED RESULTING IN A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,918 hours in all; 515 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3,069 as pilot in command; 1,920 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1994; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,605 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from PIT
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.