Piper PA-24-250 accident near Akron, Ohio, September 29, 1993
On September 29, 1993 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6489P, was destroyed in an accident near Akron, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT TO AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO HYPOXIA AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1993 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6489P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1608
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE OCCURRED. WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER ABOUT A 1.5 MILE AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE RIGHT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD ABOUT 9' INBOARD FROM THE WING TIP & STRUCK THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, WHICH SEPARATED. NO PRE-EXISTING DEFECT WAS NOTED. THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER WHEN HE REPORTED AN ALTITUDE OF 16,500' MSL & 'IN THE SOUP.' RADAR DATA FROM CENTER SHOWED THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ALTITUDE & HEADING EXCURSIONS DURING A 30 MINUTE PERIOD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. JUST BEFORE DISAPPEARING FROM RADAR, THE FLIGHT TRACK DEVIATED TO THE RIGHT. A WITNESS SAW THE PLANE DESCENDING MINUS A LARGE SECTION OF ONE WING AFTER HEARING A LOUD 'POP.' ACCORDING TO FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS, NO PERSON MAY OPERATE A CIVIL AIRCRAFT AT CABIN PRESSURE ALTITUDES ABOVE 14,000' MSL UNLESS THE REQUIRED MINIMUM FLIGHT CREW IS PROVIDED WITH & USES SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THERE WAS NO SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ABOARD THE PLANE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,102 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 4, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aire Austin INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FZI Fostoria OH at 11:30 pm
- Destination: CXY Harrisburg PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from CAK, 8 miles away
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.