Piper PA-22 accident near Lake Placid, New York, January 31, 1982
On January 31, 1982 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N6758B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Placid, New York (Lake Placid airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- January 31, 1982 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Placid, New York · Lake Placid · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N6758B · no longer on the register · serial 224092
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 250 FT AGL. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE 4200 FT RUNWAY. THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND FULL FLAPS WITH THE INTENTION OF LANDING ON THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE PACKED, SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT STRIKING A HARD PACKED, 10 FT SNOWBANK. THEREFORE, HE ELECTED TO GO-AROUND. DURING CLIMB-OUT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN, AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CRASH LANDED IN A SNOW COVERED CLEARING NEAR A DUMP ON WOODED, HILLY TERRAIN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PRECRASH DISCREPANCIES EXCEPT THAT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE. THE ENGINE RAN SATISFACTORILY DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHECK. THE CARBURETOR WAS DISASSEMBLED AND CHECKED FOR CONTAMINATION. A VERY SMALL PIECE OF ICE WAS FOUND. IT WAS NOTED THAT WATER MAY HAVE ENTERED DUE TO MELTING SNOW IN THE IMPACT AREA.
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
- Flight time: 195 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,810 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LKP Lake Placid NY at 1:15 pm
- Destination: LKP Lake Placid NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°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.