Smith Aerostar 600 accident near Elyria, Ohio, March 4, 1982
On March 4, 1982 at about 10:45 am local time, a Smith Aerostar 600, registered N9530Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elyria, Ohio (Lorain County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1982 · about 10:45 am local time
- Place
- Elyria, Ohio · Lorain County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith Aerostar 600
- Registration
- N9530Q · no longer on the register · serial 60 0359 128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ON AN ICY RUNWAY, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER ROLLING A FEW HUNDRED FEET. HE REPORTED THAT THE PLANE WAS SLIDING LEFT AND WAS BELOW VMC, SO HE RETARDED THE THROTTLES. THE PLANE STRUCK A SNOWBANK BESIDE THE RUNWAY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 2,580 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-GIB5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Continental INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 22G Elyria OH at 5:45 am
- Destination: Prytow OH
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 am from CLE, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.