Piper PA-28 accident near Cincinnati, Ohio, July 15, 2009
On July 15, 2009 at about 1:51 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N5519W, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Cincinnati, Ohio (Lunken Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of situational awareness during the approach to an unfamiliar airport at night and his failure to maintain clearance from the trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane's navigational equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2009 · about 1:51 am local time
- Place
- Cincinnati, Ohio · Lunken Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 160 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5519W · no longer on the register · serial 28-603
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he intended to “simply enjoy several hours” of night flying and to return to the departure airport. During the flight he noticed that the aircraft compass and directional gyro indications did not match. He was not familiar with the new GPS in the airplane and he was not able to get navigational information from it. The pilot became disoriented and did not recognize any familiar landmarks. It had become very dark. He saw a rotating airport beacon so he decided to land at that airport. As he was turning from downwind to base, the airplane hit the trees paralleling the runway. Witnesses reported that they heard the airplane approaching and saw the airplane in level flight for about 3–5 seconds at tree-top level, and then the airplane impacted the trees. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Situational awareness › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 13, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,879 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 2008; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I68 Lebanon OH at 10:15 pm
- Destination: LUK Lunken OH
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from LUK, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.