Piper PA-28-181 accident near Prospectville, Pennsylvania, November 1, 1983
On November 1, 1983, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N39955, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prospectville, Pennsylvania (Turner 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
- November 1, 1983
- Place
- Prospectville, Pennsylvania · Turner Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N39955 · no longer on the register · serial 79-90022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT AS HE TURNED FINAL HE WAS TOO HIGH AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY SO HE SLIPPED THE ACFT TO THE LEFT TO LINE UP. THE LEFT FUEL TANK, WHICH HE WAS USING WAS VERY LOW ON FUEL. THE APRCH WAS TOO HIGH SO HE DECIDED TO GO AROUND. AS THE ACFT WAS PULLED UP, THE ENGINE WAS STARVED OF FUEL AND QUIT. HE ATTEMPTED A RESTART BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ACFT LANDED IN A CORN FIELD, COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND BENT THE NOSE GEAR AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR.
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
- Flight time: 515 hours in all; 385 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 426 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1982; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dayton OH at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,150 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.
Other NTSB records under N39955 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.