Portage County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ravenna, Ohio 44266
Saturday, May 18, 1991 11:47 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE WIFE OF THE AIRPLANE OWNER WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN A 'PINCH HITTER' COURSE. A GUIDELINE FOR INSTRUCTORS OF THIS COURSE REFERENCED MAXIMUM BANK ANGLES OF 30 DEGREES AND TO NOT FRIGHTEN THE STUDENT. AFTER ONE TOUCH AND GO, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP 360 DEGREE TURN FOR APPARENT SPACING BEHIND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED AND DISAPPEAR BEHIND TREES. WITNESSES HEARD A SURGE OF POWER BEFORE IMPACT. AN EXAM OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S (CFI'S) LOGBOOK SHOWED HE HAD NOT LOGGED FLIGHT TIME IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE, THOUGH HE HAD FLOWN ON A PREVIOUS FLIGHT WITH THE OWNER. THE LOG BOOK WAS CURRENT THROUGH TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO ASSURE THAT ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WAS MAINTAINED, AFTER MANEUVERING (TURNING) FOR SPACING BEHIND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH AND THE CFI'S LACK OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1147
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RAVENNA
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44266
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTAGE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 29G
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 270
Airport Elevation 1197
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1785
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45663
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:02AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7808P
NTSB Number NYC91FA136
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3028
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 21 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 128
Airframe Hours 4981
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. JAECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 34
Aircraft Owner City NAVARRE
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44662
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM C. JAECK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 34
Operator City NAVARRE
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44662
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 9
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --