Piper PA-22-108 accident near Hookstown, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1985
On July 16, 1985 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N5322Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hookstown, Pennsylvania (Hanna Beaver airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 16, 1985 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hookstown, Pennsylvania · Hanna Beaver · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N5322Z · registry record · serial 22-9026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING NORMAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ON THE SIXTH LANDING, AT THE CORRECT AIRSPEED, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN GEAR AND THEN THE NOISE WHEEL COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO DOYAL W. MILLER, AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR, TIRE SCUFF MARKS REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN NOSE FIRST, IN A LEFT CRAB, ABOUT 200 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY ON THE THRESHOLDS THE AIRCRAFT SLID ON ITS NOSE, NOSED OVER, AND CAME TO REST 130 FEET FROM THE TOUCH DOWN MARKS. THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS OPERATED NORMALLY AFTER THE BENT PANELS AND BROKEN NOSE STRUT WERE REMOVED.
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: 354 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,831 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 26, 1985; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,719 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from BVI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.