Piper PA-18-135 accident near Akron, New York, October 9, 1988
On October 9, 1988 at about 2:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-135, registered N8179C, was destroyed in an accident near Akron, New York (Akron airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- October 9, 1988 · about 2:47 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, New York · Akron · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-135 · all PA-18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N8179C · no longer on the register · serial 18-3636
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER PA-18-135 STALLED ON TAKEOFF AND CRASHED. WITNESSES SAID THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT NOSE HIGH, NOT CLIMBING, AND AT A SLOW AIRSPEED. THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BANKED LEFT AND STRUCK TREES. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED THROUGH THE TREES TO THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE CFI SAID HE WAS BURNED WHILE ESCAPING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PVT PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION WAS UNABLE TO ESCAPE AND DIED OF BURNS. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH EITHER THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME. THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK INCORRECTLY INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT GROSS WEIGHT WAS 250 LBS TOO HIGH. THIS CONDITION HAD EXISTED SINCE 5/19/80. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS 131 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF 1500 LBS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 893 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 737 as pilot in command; 104 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,176 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Western New York Flying Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,310 ft by 48 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from BUF, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.