Piper PA-30 accident near Vandalia, Ohio, June 6, 1982
On June 6, 1982 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7254Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vandalia, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 6, 1982 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vandalia, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7254Y · registry record · serial 30-280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DESCENT AT 215 MPH THE ACFT ENTERED VIOLENT BUFFETING. RECOVERY WAS INITIATED BY REDUCING POWER & THE ACFT LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. EXAMINATION REVEALED THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR WAS PERMANENTLY BENT DOWNWARD ON BOTH SIDES. THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED WITH GAP SEALS ON 5/25/82 IAW STC SA516GL. EXAMINATION OF THE COUNTERBALANCE ARM ASSEMBLY SHOWED THAT TWO SMALL WEIGHTS (SLUGS) WERE USED TO OBTAIN A BALANCED CONDITION WHEN THE STC MODIFICATION WAS COMPLETED ON THE STABILATOR. THE STC CONTAINED A LIMITATION THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE INCORPORATED IN ANY ACFT HAVING OTHER APPROVED MODIFICATIONS UNLESS IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT IT WILL NOT INTRODUCE ANY ADVERSE EFFECT UPON ACFT AIRWORTHINESS. THIS ACFT HAD 8 OTHER MODIFICATIONS. ON 7/10/82 THE OWNER OF THE STC ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH EFFECTIVELY REMOVED THE GAP SEALS ON ALL PA-30 & PA-39 TYPE.ACFT THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MODIFIED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,304 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 3,314 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,150 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Vandalia OH at 10:50 am
- Destination: Vandalia OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 117°F (47°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.