Piper PA-28-140 accident near Springvale, Maine, March 22, 1986
On March 22, 1986 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4211T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springvale, Maine. It was a personal 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
- March 22, 1986 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Springvale, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4211T · no longer on the register · serial 287225095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER CHEROKEE PA-28-140 LOST POWER AND MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT REPORTED AN OIL LINE BROKE AND HE LOST ALL ENGINE OIL. A MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN EITHER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE OF A OIL LEAK OR BROKEN OIL LINE. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,715 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E30 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6B1 Skyhaven NH at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.