Piper PA-24 accident near Urbana, Ohio, June 20, 2009
On June 20, 2009 at about 9:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N7660P, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Urbana, Ohio (Grimes Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the carburetor heat cable attach bracket which resulted in the inadvertent activation of carburetor heat and the subsequent loss of engine power during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's operation of the aircraft with a known deficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2009 · about 9:37 pm local time
- Place
- Urbana, Ohio · Grimes Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N7660P · registry record · serial 24-2873
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the engine run-up prior to the first flight of the day, he noted that there was no resistance on the control knob when he checked the operation of the carburetor heat and that there was a slightly “sluggish” return in the engine rpms as it returned to normal. The engine operated normally during this flight. When he applied carburetor heat during the engine run-up for the second flight of the day, he noticed that the rpm needle "wiggled down 50" then returned to the set rpm. Everything appeared normal during the takeoff until the airplane reached about 200 feet above the runway, when it felt a little “soggy.” The pilot stated that he raised the landing gear to reduce drag, but it did not seem like the engine was producing power. The pilot then extended the landing gear and decided to land the airplane in a field off the end of the runway. The landing gear, which was not locked down, collapsed during the landing and the left wing was substantially damaged when it contacted a runway end identifier light. Postaccident inspection of the airplane and engine revealed that the carburetor heat bracket between the valve shaft and the cable was fractured and missing. The carburetor heat valve was in the open position.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 432 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 367 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,895 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2009; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I74 Urbana OH at 9:37 pm
- Destination: SGH Springfield OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from SGH, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.