Piper PA-28-235 accident near Wadsworth, Ohio, October 8, 2011
On October 8, 2011 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9444W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wadsworth, Ohio (Weltzien Skypark 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the brake system during the landing roll, which was caused by a loss of hydraulic fluid as a result of a leak in the piston seal due to brake plates worn beyond their service limits.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2011 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wadsworth, Ohio · Weltzien Skypark Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9444W · registry record · serial 28-11163
- 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, prior to the flight, he noted no anomalies with the airplane or its braking system. After touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes to slow the airplane to exit the runway, but the airplane did not slow down. The airplane then departed the runway surface and the right wing contacted the visual approach slope indicator system. The airplane came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left brake caliper was leaking hydraulic fluid; no fluid was found in the brake system’s reservoir. Hydraulic fluid was then added to the reservoir, and a leak was noticed at the brake caliper without any brake pressure being applied to the system. The brake caliper and brake plates were removed and the brake plates were found to be worn beyond service limits, which resulted in an overextension of the brake piston and failure of the piston seal. The failure of the piston seal resulted in the loss of hydraulic fluid.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,900 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 6,714 as pilot in command; 6,400 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 3, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,964 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-B405 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PKB Parkersburg WV at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 15G Wadsworth OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,410 ft by 37 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:10 pm from BJJ, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 CEN12LA023.