Columbia Aircraft Mfg. LC41-550FG accident near Columbus, Ohio, May 21, 2008
On May 21, 2008 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Columbia Aircraft Mfg. LC41-550FG, registered N1387C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Columbus, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not maintaining directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusty crosswinds and the airport sign that was impacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2008 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Columbia Aircraft Mfg. LC41-550FG
- Registration
- N1387C · no longer on the register · serial 41672
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had flown a cross country flight on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot reported that while on approach he picked up recorded weather which was "winds from 310 at 9 gusting to 15, 10 miles visibility, a few clouds at 9,500’ and altimeter 29.63" and that he was cleared to land on runway 27L. The pilot asked for a wind check and the tower reported the wind as "from 300 at 20 with no mention of gusts." The pilot used full flaps during the landing and reported an indicated airspeed of 95-100 knots. He reported that during the flare he experienced "normal ground-effect 'turbulence'" and "focused on maintaining the centerline and allowing airspeed to bleed off to land smoothly." He stated that immediately upon touchdown, the airplane began veering about 20 degrees to the left. He said that he tried to correct with right rudder only. The pilot said that he "determined that more aggressive correction was unsafe and instead decided to exit the runway into the grassy area between the runway and the airport ramp area." The airplane's left wing struck a runway light and then the 3,000 feet remaining sign.
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 defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
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
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,075 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 974 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-C9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N07 Lincoln Park NJ at 2:50 pm
- Destination: Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from OSU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1387C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.