Piper PA-28-235 accident near Reading, Pennsylvania, August 30, 1990
On August 30, 1990 at about 7:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N15590, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reading, Pennsylvania (Reading Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1990 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Reading, Pennsylvania · Reading Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N15590 · no longer on the register · serial 287310058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE LEFT WING TIP FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE MAIN GEAR AND NOSE WHEEL. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED FOR 400 TO 500 FEET AND SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL BEFORE IMPACTING SMALL TREES AND BRUSH. THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,720 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,350 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°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.