Minerva Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paris, Ohio 44669
Sunday, April 5, 1992 17:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT MADE THE TAKEOFF USING ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS INSTEAD OF THE RECOMMENDED TWO NOTCHES OF FLAPS. HE GOT AIRBORNE IN GROUND EFFECT AND THEN ACCELERATED TO BEST RATE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED INSTEAD OF USING BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB SPEED TO CLEAR OBSTACLES AS RECOMMENDED. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUCK BY MULTIPLE GUSTY CROSS WINDS WHICH BLEW THE AIRPLANE TOWARD HIGHER TERRAIN. THE PILOT SAID HE CORRECTED EACH TIME BY LOWERING THE NOSE AND USING AILERON, HOWEVER, THE CORRECTIONS WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF WIND THAT WAS PRESENT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A SERIES OF TREES WHILE CLIMBING AND THEN STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, HAD LESS THAN 100 HOURS, AND HAD RECEIVED HIS LICENSE 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVER HIGHER TERRAIN WITH A CLIMB RATE THAT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE GUSTY CROSS WIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PARIS
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44669
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MINERVA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OH15
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 30
Airport Elevation 1080
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 311
Weather Observation Facility ID CAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1228
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 377
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46539
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9741W
NTSB Number NYC92FA073
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-22918
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. 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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 8 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 207
Airframe Hours 6187
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BENJAMIN F. ROUSH
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2, BOX 373
Aircraft Owner City LETART
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25253
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES L. MC LAUGHLIN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 218 EAST 2ND STREET
Operator City WELLSTON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 25253
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code OH15
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OH15
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 104
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --