Piper PA-28-140 accident near Ellington, Connecticut, February 5, 1982
On February 5, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N721FL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellington, Connecticut (Ellington airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 5, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ellington, Connecticut · Ellington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N721FL · registry record · serial 28-7225903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALLOWED TO WARM UP FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES AT END OF THE RUNWAY BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (IP) REPORTED THAT THE BEFORE TAKEOFF RUN-UP WAS MADE BY USING THE CHECKLIST AND ALL ENGINE INSTRUMENTS WERE IN-THE-GREEN. HE REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT REACHED ABOUT 125 FT AGL WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED, THEN STARTED AND TWO TIMES. HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE STUDENT AND TURNED TO THE LEFT TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. BEFORE LANDING, HE SAW A TELEPHONE LINE, AND ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THE LINE AND A POLE BY FLYING UNDER THE WIRE WHILE TURNING RIGHT. HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE POLE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED EXCESSIVE SOOT ON THE SPARK PLUGS OF THE NO. 1 AND 2 CYLINDERS. AN INSPECTION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT AN IMPROPER NOZZLE HAD BEEN INSTALLED. DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHECK, THE ENGINE RAN AT 2400 RPM AT FULL RIGHT WOULD INCREASE TO 2500 RPM WHEN LEANED. ALSO, EXCESSIVE POPPING NOISES WERE NOTED WHEN IT WAS OPERATED AT FULL RICH.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 548 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 351 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,813 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ellington CT at 9:28 am
- Destination: Ellington CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 1,900 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.