Piper PA-38 accident near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1982
On May 17, 1982 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-38, registered N2363A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 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
- May 17, 1982 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N2363A · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE DESCENDING TO CONFIRM HIS POSITION BECAUSE OF ENCOUNTERING RAIN ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE STUDENT PILOT DISCOVERED AN ENGINE RPM LOSS. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE POWER SEVERAL TIMES AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE INTO A PLOWED FIELD DURING WHICH THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED LOW COMPRESSION ON THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER DUE TO LEAD DEPOSITS FOUND BETWEEN THE EXHAUST VALVE AND THE VALVE SEAT. THE MAGNETOS WERE BENCH TESTED AND FOUND TO HAVE HIGH ACTIVATION SPEEDS AND ERRATIC SPARK THROUGHOUT THEIR OPERATING RANGES. UPON DISASSEMBLY IT WAS FOUND THAT CARBON DEPOSITS AND TRACKING EXISTED ON THE DISTRIBUTOR GEAR SUPPORT PLATE AND ITS BRUSH WAS SLIGHTLY MISALIGNED AND WORN. THE MAGNETOS USED WERE SLICK ELECTRO 4150 AND 4181 WHICH ARE SEALED UNITS REQUIRING NO FIELD MAINTENANCE. PIPER RECOMMENDS THAT THEY BE EXCHANGED AT THE END OF 900 HOURS IN SERVICE.TOTAL TIME IN SERVICE FOR THE SUBJECT MAGNETOS WAS 714 HOURS.
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: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 714 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Penn Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Punxsutawney PA at 2:20 pm
- Destination: A00 Altoona PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.