Piper PA-28-140 accident near Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1988
On August 11, 1988 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8233N, was destroyed in an accident near Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania (Turner Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people 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
- August 11, 1988 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania · Turner Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8233N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25438
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE FLT TOOK OFF WITH LIGHT & VARIABLE WINDS. HE SAID HE USED THE SHORT FLD, OBSTACLE CLEARANCE PROCEDURE TO AVOID POWERLINES WHICH ARE LOCATED 1000 FT FROM THE END OF THE RWY. AFTER THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE IT WOULD NOT CLIMB. A TURN WAS STARTED TO AVOID THE POWERLINES AND WAS STEEPENED TO AVOID TREES IN THE PATH OF THE ACFT. THE ACFT LOST ALT DURING THE STEEP TURN AND A LANDING WAS MADE IN A FARM FIELD. THE ACFT LANDED HARD RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR AND PROP. AFTER THE OCCUPANTS EVACUATED, THE ACFT CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. THE TEMP WAS 93 DEG F AT THE TIME OF THE ACDT. THE DA WAS 2600 FT.
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: 465 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,674 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1987; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: N34 at 3:40 pm
- Destination: B19 Biddeford ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,126 ft by 49 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.