Rayan NAV-4 accident near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, May 2, 1982
On May 2, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Rayan NAV-4, registered N4540K, was destroyed in an accident near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania (Bloomsburg airport). It was a personal 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).
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
- May 2, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania · Bloomsburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rayan NAV-4
- Registration
- N4540K · registry record · serial 1540
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT SMELLED SMOKE AND OBSERVED THE OIL PRESSURE DROP TO 20 PSI. WHEN THE OIL PRESSURE CONTINUED TO DROP THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND AT BLOOMSBURG AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES AWAY. AFTER LANDING THE PILOT TAXIED OFF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT BURNED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 4,500 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,233 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental E-225-4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: N13 Bloomsburg PA at 11:30 am
- Destination: N13 Bloomsburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.