Piper PA-32-301 accident near Middle Bass Island, Ohio, December 27, 2012
On December 27, 2012 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N428S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Middle Bass Island, Ohio (Middle Bass Island Arpt airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not attain the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in impact with the edge of the runway surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2012 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Middle Bass Island, Ohio · Middle Bass Island Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N428S · registry record · serial 32-8106021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane touched down short of the runway threshold during landing. When the airplane's landing gear contacted the edge of the paved runway, the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right main wing spar. The pilot noted that 1- to 2-foot tall snow piles were at the approach end of the runway.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 157 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 9, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Griffing Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 3X5 N. Bass Island OH at 2:15 pm
- Destination: 3T7 Middle Bass Island OH
- Runway 28, 1,852 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PCW, 11 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.