Piper PA-38-112 accident near New Castle, Pennsylvania, October 6, 1988
On October 6, 1988 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2542D, was destroyed in an accident near New Castle, Pennsylvania (New Castle airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 6, 1988 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Castle, Pennsylvania · New Castle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2542D · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0364
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI AND STUDENT PLT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. THE CFI SAID THE LANDING WAS LONG AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT QUITE ALIGNED WITH THE RWY. BY THE TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS REALIGNED AND UNDER CONTROL THE CFI THOUGHT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY TO STOP SO HE ADDED POWER TO TAKEOFF. THERE WERE TREES OFF THE END OF THE RWY AND THE ACFT CLEARED THE FIRST ROW OF TREES BUT COLLIDED WITH THE SECOND ROW AND CRASHED IN THE FIELD BEYOND.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 160 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Beaver Aviation Service
The flight
- Departed from: 2G7
- Destination: 2G7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,855 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.