Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lehighton, Pennsylvania, August 10, 2022
On August 10, 2022 at about 10:23 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA-28-180, registered N7695W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lehighton, Pennsylvania (Jake Arner Meml airport). 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 pilot failure to ensure the runway was clear before landing, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with runway lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2022 · about 10:23 pm local time
- Place
- Lehighton, Pennsylvania · Jake Arner Meml · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180, built 1964 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7695W · registry record · serial 28-1618
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he stated he was landing in the evening and the sun was low on the horizon. While he was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he heard another pilot state that they were departing from the runway. As the pilot turned onto the final leg of the traffic pattern, the sun was in his eyes, and he could not see very well. After the airplane touched down on the runway, he noticed the departing airplane right in front of him and he veered hard to the right to avoid a collision. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and contacted runway lights resulting in substantial damage to the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have resulted normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Expectation/assumption › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Effect on personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 726 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 5.1 in the last 90 days; 2.4 in the last 30 days; 712 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from ABE, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KABE 102251Z 30004KT 10SM FEW050 28/17 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP149 T02830167 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 27, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.