Piper PA-22-135 accident near Medina, Ohio, May 30, 1989
On May 30, 1989, a Piper PA-22-135, registered N2124A, was destroyed in an accident near Medina, Ohio (Freedom Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1989
- Place
- Medina, Ohio · Freedom Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135 · all PA-22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N2124A · no longer on the register · serial 22-566
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 272 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,805 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1988; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 15G Wadsworth OH
- Destination: Medina OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,040 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.