Cessna 177 accident near Reading, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1983
On February 21, 1983 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N2227Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reading, Pennsylvania (Gen. Spaatz Field). 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
- February 21, 1983 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Reading, Pennsylvania · Gen. Spaatz Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N2227Y · registry record · serial 17700027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 881 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,485 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,275 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3B7 Belfast ME at 4:00 pm
- Destination: LNS Lancaster PA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 3, 6,350 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°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.