Freedom Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Medina, Ohio 44256
Monday, May 29, 1989 20:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE NIGHT LANDING APCH, THE PLT NOTED RWY 9-27 WAS CLOSED. THE ARPT DIRECTORY NOTES RWY 9-27 CLOSED AT NIGHT, RWY 18- 36 HAS LIRL, AND THERE IS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF 120 FT FOR RWY 18 BECAUSE OF PARKED ACFT. NO MENTION IS MADE OF POWER LINES AND A UTILITY POLE AT THE NORTH END OF THE ARPT. IT WAS CALCULATED THAT A GLIDE SLOPE OF 3.1 DEGS FROM THE RWY DISPLACED THRESHOLD WOULD INTERSECT THE TOP OF THE UTILITY POLE WHICH WAS ALIGNED WITH THE RWY CENTERLINE. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE POWER LINES DURING THE LANDING APCH. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE RWY 18 THRESHOLD, AND THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS WERE DISPLACED FURTHER AWAY FROM THE POWER LINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF AIRPORT MANAGEMENT TO ESTABLISH A DISPLACED THRESHOLD WHICH WOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE OBSTRUCTION CLEARANCE. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE POWER LINES, THE UTILITY POLE AND THE DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2035
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MEDINA
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44256
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FREEDOM FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1G5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1190
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 792
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1281
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2136
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39577
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2124A
NTSB Number ATL89LA153
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-135
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-135
Aircraft Serial Number 22-566
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Oct 10 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 3805
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID L HARTLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 909 REVERE CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City MEDINA
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44256
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID L. HARTLEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 909 REVERE CIRCLE
Operator City MEDINA
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44256
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 15G
Departure City WADSWORTH
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MEDINA
Destination State OH
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 18
Runway Length 3040
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --