Amateur-built JUNGSTER ONE accident near Reading, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1989
On June 29, 1989 at about 1:30 pm local time, a amateur-built JUNGSTER ONE, registered N17537, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reading, Pennsylvania. 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1989 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reading, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built JUNGSTER ONE JUNGSTER O
- Registration
- N17537 · no longer on the register · serial 681099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 2,500 FEET MSL, THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A GRADUAL, EVENTUALLY COMPLETE, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY LOCATED IN ROLLING TERRAIN. AN FAA INSPECTOR DESCRIBED THE HIGHWAY AS CURVING 'GENTLY, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY' TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ITS LANDING ROLL, AND IMPACTED THE GUARDRAIL LOCATED ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY; IT SKIDDED ALONG THE GUARDRAIL FOR ABOUT 20 FEET BEFORE IT FLIPPED OVER AND CAME TO A STOP. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION/DIFFICULTY. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,609 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,509 as pilot in command; 566 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1989; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PA88 Germansville PA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 37PA Smoketown PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm from RDG, 8 miles away
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.