Piper PA24 accident near Cherokee, Oklahoma, February 2, 2024
On February 2, 2024 at about 4:42 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA24, registered N4284, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Cherokee, Oklahoma (Cherokee Municipal 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined. Contributing to the accident was the presence of ground fog, which hindered the landing approach and resulted in the pilot inadvertently landing long and impacting a fence during the attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 2024 · about 4:42 pm local time
- Place
- Cherokee, Oklahoma · Cherokee Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24 260, built 1965 · all PA24s on the register
- Registration
- N4284 · registry record · serial 24-4284
- 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 the engine “began running very rough” while the airplane was in cruise flight about 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl). His efforts to determine the cause of the partial power loss and restore full engine power were not successful. The airport was covered in ground fog, which hindered the approach. He inadvertently landed long and attempted to execute a go-around; however, the airplane did not have sufficient power to climb and went off the end of the runway. Ground-based video depicted the airplane flying over as it neared the airport. The accompanying audio confirmed a rough running engine. Data recovered from an onboard engine monitor appeared to be stable until about 4 minutes before the accident when several cylinder exhaust gas temperatures decreased abruptly. The fuel flow and fuel pressure parameters remained stable during this time. A postrecovery engine examination was unable to identify the cause of the partial loss of engine power. Although the audio that accompanied the witness video suggested an issue with the ignition system, the postrecovery examination was unable to identify any preaccident 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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Fog › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,610 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 122 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,079 as pilot in command; 4,075 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 6, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,770.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 2023; 48.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WDG Enid OK at 3:55 pm
- Destination: WDG Enid OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,770 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from KWDG, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KWDG 021650Z 16009KT 10SM FEW050 BKN200 15/13 A2977
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.