Van Wert County Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Van Wert, Ohio 45891
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was taxiing the airplane on the grass beside the runway when the airplane went into a ditch. The airplane's tail and propeller were damaged. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the empennage had sustained substantial damage. The inspector reported that the airplane was taxiing on the grass parallel to closed runway 27. The grass was wet and the airplane was too close to the ditch when it slid into the ditch.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while taxiing on the wet grass.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Van Wert
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45891
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 405153N
Event Location Longitude 0843634W
Event Location Airport Van Wert County Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VNW
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24768
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Columbus FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2009 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record grol
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20745
NTSB Number CEN09CA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172-63826
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Van Wert County Regional Authority
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Van Wert
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45891
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Van Wert County Regional Authority
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Van Wert
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 45891
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 VNW
Departure City Van Wert
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code VNW
Destination City Van Wert
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 1 2008 6:22PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --