Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 accident near Columbus, Ohio, July 14, 1987
On July 14, 1987 at about 3:08 am local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600, registered N127GS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Port Columbus Int'L. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1987 · about 3:08 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Port Columbus Int'L. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N127GS · registry record · serial 600377134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TAXIED OFF AN UNLIGHTED TAXIWAY INTO A LARGE DRAINAGE DITCH WHILE TAXIING TO A PARKING RAMP. THE PILOT THOUGHT HE WAS ON THE TAXIWAY BUT THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WAS ON A PORTION OF THE DRAINAGE DITCH RETAINING WALL. THE RT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT WAS USING THE LANDING LIGHT INSTEAD OF THE TAXI LIGHT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,603 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 2,519 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,006 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 13, 1987; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Continental
The flight
- Departed from: CLE Cleveland OH at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 10,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from CMH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL87DEK01.