Piper PA-28-181 accident near Put-In-Bay, Ohio, June 4, 2012
On June 4, 2012 at about 4:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2434M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Put-In-Bay, Ohio (Put In Bay 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
The pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point at the proper speed, his failure to initiate a go-around, and the airplane’s inadequate climb gradient after the aborted landing, which resulted in impact with the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2012 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Put-In-Bay, Ohio · Put In Bay Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2434M · registry record · serial 28-7890251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane touched down too far down the runway at a high rate of speed and began to porpoise. The pilot aborted the landing, and during the climb, which was too shallow, the airplane's left wing struck trees near the departure end of the runway and was substantially damaged. The airplane returned to the airport and landed without further incident. Postaccident examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,188 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,062 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 25, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,142 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bluffton Sky Pirates Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 5G7 Bluffton OH at 2:30 pm
- Destination: 3W2 Put-In-Bay OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,870 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PCW, 7 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.