Piper PA-22-108 accident near Reading, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1985
On February 27, 1985 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N66RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reading, Pennsylvania (Reading airport). It was a business 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
- February 27, 1985 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Reading, Pennsylvania · Reading · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N66RA · registry record · serial 22-9431
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERTURNED WHILE AWAITING TAKEOFF FROM READING,PA. WIND WAS REPORTED FROM 310 DEGS AT 16 KTS, GUSTING TO 22 KTS. AFTER ENGINE UP THE TOWER ADVISED N66RA TP HOLD FOR LANDING TRAFFIC WHICH WAS A LEAR JET. WIND AT THIS TIME WAS GIVEN AS 310 KTS AT 27 KTS. AFTER THE LEAR JET LANDED, THE PIPER WAS CLEARED INTO POSITION AND TOLD TO HOLD. WHILE CROSSING THE HOLDING LINE A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE RIGHT WING AND TAIL AND PUSHED THE ACFT UP ONTO ITS NOSE AND RIGHT WING. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER, TURNED OFF THE ACFT AND EVACUATED. A FEW MINUTES LATER ANOTHER GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE ACFT INVERTED.
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: 1,951 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 1,759 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,323 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LNS Lancaster PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.