Piper J-4 accident near Chesterville, Ohio, February 5, 1983
On February 5, 1983 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper J-4, registered N27894, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesterville, Ohio (Jenkins(Private) airport). 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 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
- February 5, 1983 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterville, Ohio · Jenkins(Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-4 · all J-4s on the register
- Registration
- N27894 · registry record · serial 4-1116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TRIED TO TURN BACK AND LAND ON THE DEPARTURE AIRSTRIP, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE. WHILE TRYING TO LAND, HE PULLED THE PLANE UP TO CROSS OVER TRANSMISSION LINES. HOWEVER, THE PLANE COLLIDED WITH THE WIRES AND CRASHED. THE PILOT THOUGHT HE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED CARBURETOR ICE, BUT THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 23 AND 13 DEG. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CHART, CARBURETOR ICING WOULD ONLY OCCUR AT OR BELOW CRUISING POWER AT THOSE TEMPERATURES.
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: 249 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 249 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,504 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1982; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,200 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.