Piper PA-28-180 accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1988
On April 17, 1988 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4893L, was destroyed in an accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania (Slatington airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- April 17, 1988 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Slatington, Pennsylvania · Slatington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4893L · no longer on the register · serial 28-5126
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED AT SLATINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA DURING STRONG WIND CONDITIONS. WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED BRAKES, A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING AND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, AND INTO A TREE STUMP.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 1,875 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDG Reading PA at 4:35 pm
- Destination: 69N Slatington PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,480 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.