Wadsworth Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wadsworth, Ohio 44281
Saturday, June 2, 1990 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN ELECTRICAL UTILITY POLE DURING A FINAL APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO PERSONS AT THE AIRPORT THE STUDENT PILOT HAD FLOWN INTO THE AIRPORT, PICKED UP A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND THEN DEPARTED FOR A PERIOD OF LOCAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN STEADY STATE FLIGHT UNTIL IT STRUCK THE POLE. THE RUNWAY IS SERVED BY A VASI WHICH WAS OPERATIONAL AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE DUAL STUDENT TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WADSWORTH
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44281
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WADSWORTH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3G3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 987
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID CAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1228
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1464
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42773
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8760N
NTSB Number CHI90FA145
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 PA28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-25581
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RALPH D. BROWN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 948 DAVIES AVENUE
Operator City AKRON
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44306
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 3525
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --