Piper PA28-180 accident near Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, December 20, 2007
On December 20, 2007 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Piper PA28-180, registered N4814L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blue Bell, Pennsylvania (Wings Field). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2007 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Bell, Pennsylvania · Wings Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-180 · all PA28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4814L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot of the Piper PA28 stated that he applied left rudder to compensate for a "slight" left crosswind while on approach to land on Runway 06. At touchdown, having "never let off left rudder," the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a culvert and two signs. A post flight inspection revealed damage to the propeller, nose landing gear, and firewall. The student pilot reported 78 total hours of flight experience, 31 hours in make and model, and reported no deficiencies with the performance and handling of the airplane. At the time of the accident, the winds reported at the airport were from 280 degrees at 3 knots.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 78 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2007; 79 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLOM Blue Bell PA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: KLOM
- Runway 6
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 pm from KLOM
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.