Piper PA-34-200T accident near Sandusky, Ohio, May 24, 2008
On May 24, 2008 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N31982, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Sandusky, Ohio (Griffing Sandusky airport). 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 misjudging the flare and not maintaining airspeed during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2008 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Sandusky, Ohio · Griffing Sandusky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N31982 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870282
- 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 and a safety pilot were on a simulated instrument flight rules cross country flight. He said that while on final the airplane "got too slow." During the flare the airplane "quit flying and dropped short" of the prepared runway surface. The pilot reported the airplane landed hard "resulting in damage to aircraft." No mechanical malfunctions were reported reference the flight.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 371 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 298 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,848 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental LTSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: SKY Sandusky OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,559 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LPR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.