Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Avoca, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1982
On March 17, 1982 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N2962W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Avoca, Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1982 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Avoca, Pennsylvania · Wilkes-Barre/Scranton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N2962W · registry record · serial 28R-7918239
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED ICING CONDITIONS WHILE DESCENDING FROM 5000 TO 4000 FT NEAR HIS DESTINATION. HE WAS CLEARED FOR AN IMMEDIATE ILS APPROACH. HE MAINTAINED 110 KNOTS ON FINAL APPROACH UNTIL INSIDE THE MIDDLE MARKER. AT THAT POINT, HE APPLIED ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED DOWN TOWARD THE APPROACH LIGHTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE USED BOTH HANDS TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND THE PLANE OSCILLATED DOWN TOWARD THE RUNWAY. AT ABOUT 90 KNOTS, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED FROM ABOUT 10 TO 15 FT AND LANDED HARD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 325 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 196 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,224 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pocono Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: Albany NY at 5:00 pm
- Destination: RLD Richland WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 6,450 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC82DA057.