Perth Amboy BIRD BK accident near Zanesville, Ohio, August 20, 2013
On August 20, 2013 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1930 Perth Amboy BIRD BK, registered N727Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Zanesville, Ohio (Parr Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2013 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Zanesville, Ohio · Parr Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Perth Amboy BIRD BK NO SERIES, built 1930 · all BIRD BKs on the register
- Registration
- N727Y · registry record · serial 2037-16
- 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 he intentionally taxied the airplane off the runway after landing to preserve the tires on the antique airplane due to a rough runway surface. The airplane subsequently encountered an unmarked drainage ditch. A postaccident examination showed that the airplane departed the right side of the runway about 150 feet from the approach end and traveled through a 40-foot-wide area of closely mowed grass, striking a runway light in the process. The airplane continued into an area of 1-foot-tall vegetation until it impacted the drainage ditch about 500 feet from the approach end of the runway. An examination of the runway did not reveal an excessively rough surface. The occurrence of the runway excursion within 150 feet of touching down and then the airplane traveling 500 feet after exiting the runway is consistent with airplane having significant speed at the time of the excursion, rather than an exit onto the grass under controlled conditions. The pilot likely lost directional control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the airplane departing the runway, striking the runway light, and impacting into the ditch.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Last flight review: June 20, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,980 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner K5 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CBE Cumberland MD at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 42I Zanesville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,100 ft by 26 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ZZV, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 CEN13LA497.