Piper PA-28-140 N8543E

Summary

On 9 November 2022 at about 11:25 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N8543E, operated by ACE Pilot Training Inc, was involved in an accident near Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 2022 at 11:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Lehigh Valley International Ai (ABE)

Coordinates

40.6483, -75.4406

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N8543E

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

ACE Pilot Training Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA055

1 person was seriously injured.

The flight instructor’s decision to remove the nosewheel chock while the engine was still operating.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After engine start, the student pilot and the flight instructor realized that the airplane’s nosewheel chock was still in place. The flight instructor decided to deplane to remove the chock without shutting down the engine. After removing the chock, the flight instructor moved to signal the student pilot that the chock was removed. In the process, the flight instructor made physical contact with the spinning propellor, resulting in serious injury. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.