Griffing-Sandusky Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sandusky, Ohio 44871
Sunday, March 7, 1993 16:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING FINAL APPROACH, HE '. . . WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. . . BUT FAILED TO RESTORE ENOUGH POWER.' THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A SNOW BANK NEAR THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND WAS SEPARATED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE TO THE RUNWAY, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT FOR LANDING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PROXIMITY OF THE SNOWBANK TO THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SANDUSKY
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44871
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRIFFING-SANDUSKY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SKY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 580
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID CLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 792
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51219
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGAIC
NTSB Number BFO93LA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7415352
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 11 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 5901
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CESARE GNECCHI-RUSCONE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19 MOUNTAINVIEW
Aircraft Owner City LONDON,ONTARIO
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CESARE GNECCHI-RUSCONE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 19 MOUNTAINVIEW
Operator City LONDON, ONTARIO
Operator State CD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CYXU
Departure City LONDON, ONTARIO
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1234
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2593
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --