Piper PA-38-112 accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, March 12, 1982
On March 12, 1982 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2402C, was destroyed in an accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania (Queen City airport). 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 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
- March 12, 1982 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Allentown, Pennsylvania · Queen City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2402C · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0173
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 25 IN CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. THE WIND WAS FROM 330 DEGREES AT 14 KNOTS. ON ONE OF THE LANDINGS, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY ADDED A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER FOR A SMOOTHER TOUCHDOWN, BUT FAILED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND. TO AVOID LANDING OFF OF THE RUNWAY, HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND RAISED THE NOSE. THE PILOT HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO PREVENT A STALL. THE PLANE COLLIDED WITH BUSHES AND A DIRT BANK ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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: student
- Flight time: 43 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,779 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-LA2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Queen City Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Allentown PA
- Destination: Allentown PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,950 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 127°F (53°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.