Piper PA-32-260 accident near Coatsville, Pennsylvania, August 23, 1996
On August 23, 1996 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3868W, was destroyed in an accident near Coatsville, Pennsylvania (Chester County airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the lack of suitable landing areas.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1996 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Coatsville, Pennsylvania · Chester County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3868W · no longer on the register · serial 32-812
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was in a descent from 5,000 feet to 3,000 feet when the engine lost power. He tried to switch tanks, but he was mainly concentrating on maintaining sight with a nearby airport. The airplane landed 400 yards short of the runway in trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks had been ruptured and empty, and that nearby foliage was turning brown and dying. Examination of the engine failed to reveal a reason why the engine could not develop power.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,342 hours in all; 1,022 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,213 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,621 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: THV York PA
- Destination: N99 West Chester PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.