Cessna 182 accident near Westfield, Pennsylvania, February 23, 1988
On February 23, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N3374F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westfield, Pennsylvania (Sharrets 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 23, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Westfield, Pennsylvania · Sharrets · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N3374F · no longer on the register · serial 18257374
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF WITH FULL POWER AND RIGHT RUDDER APPLIED. DURING GROUND RUN, THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SNOWBANK, PULLING THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE SNOW. WHEN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR HIT THE SNOW THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS NOSE.
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: 547 hours in all; 326 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 326 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,480 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PN91 Sabinville PA
- Destination: N38 Wellsboro PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 1,500 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.