Piper PA-28-161 accident near Easton, Pennsylvania, December 13, 1990
On December 13, 1990 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9898K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Easton, Pennsylvania (Easton 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
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO GET TOO LOW ON FINAL APPROACH DURING THE DEMONSTRATION OF A POWER OFF LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1990 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Easton, Pennsylvania · Easton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9898K · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING A POWER OFF LANDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT. ON SHORT FINAL WITH THE CFI AT THE CONTROLS THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO LOW TO CLEAR A 10 FOOT HILL ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE CFI DEPLOYED THE FLAPS BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS TO SLOW AND DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POWER APPLIED TO CLEAR THE HILL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command; 675 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.