Piper PA-28-180 accident near Youngstown, Ohio, July 28, 1983
On July 28, 1983 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4260T, was destroyed in an accident near Youngstown, Ohio (Youngstown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 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
- July 28, 1983 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Youngstown, Ohio · Youngstown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4260T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7205123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A X-COUNTRY FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER BEFORE THE ACFT ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION ARPT. THE PLT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP & RESTARTED THE ENG, BUT APRX 1 MIN LATER POWER WAS LOST AGAIN. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO GLIDE TO THE ARPT, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND IN A SWAMP & AVOID CRASHING IN A WOODED AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT WAS BADLY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLT HAD CALCULATED HIS FUEL AT 65% POWER. ACCORING TO THESE CALCULATIONS, THE AIRCRAFT SHOWULD HAVE FLOWN 5 1/2 HRS; HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE TACH TIME, THE ENG LOST POWER AFTER 4.68 HRS. THE OWNER STATED THAT THIS PARTICULAR ACFT USUALLY BURNED APRX 10 GAL/HR. WITH 48 GAL OF USABLE FUEL. THIS WOULD HAVE YIELDED 4.8 HRS OF FLT TIME, NOT ACCOUNTING FOR START, TAXI, RUN-UP, TAKEOFF & CLIMB. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT HAD CARBURETOR PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT THE OWNER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM INVOLVED THE ENG RUNNING LEAN AT LOW RPM. THE PLT DID NOT MENTION ANY FUEL GAUGE PROBLEM IN HIS STATEMENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 244 hours in all; 244 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 211 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,005 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 9, 1983; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASH Nashua NH
- Destination: YNG Youngstown OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from CLE, 54 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.