Piper PA-22-150 accident near Lima, Ohio, August 12, 1989
On August 12, 1989 at about 7:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N7825D, was destroyed in an accident near Lima, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1989 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Lima, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7825D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5471
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF HIS DESTINATION (PRIVATE) AIRSTRIP, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE RAN ROUGH BRIEFLY AND THEN FAILED COMPLETELY. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH TREES DURING ITS EMERGENCY LANDING AND CAME TO REST IN A CREEK. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO INDICATION OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY WITH THE ENGINE. WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERATE TO SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICE, TEMP 81 DEGS AND DEWPOINT 60 DEGS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE PILOT HAD APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, NOR PERFORMED ANY OTHER EMERGENCY/RESTART PROCEDURES.
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: 472 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 18, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Wausion OH at 6:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Lima OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 pm from FDY, 24 miles away
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.