Piper PA-24 accident near Toledo, Ohio, March 13, 1985
On March 13, 1985 at about 1:08 am local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N7241P, was destroyed in an accident near Toledo, Ohio (Toledo Express airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 13, 1985 · about 1:08 am local time
- Place
- Toledo, Ohio · Toledo Express · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N7241P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2415
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS OBSVD TAKING MEDICATION WITHIN 2 HRS BFR FLT. A WITNESS IDENTIFIED 1 PILL AS DARVOCET-N 100, SINCE SHE TOOK THE SAME MEDICATION. WHEN THE PLT STARTED THE ENG, IT WENT TO A VERY HI RPM, AS IF THE THROTTLE WAS TOO FAR OPEN. WHILE TAXIING TO TAKEOFF, THE ACFT NEARLY HIT A PARKED ACFT, WENT OFF THE TAXIWAY & CAME ALARMINGLY CLOSE TO A TRACTOR. ON A LOCAL FLT TO A NEARBY ARPT AT NGT, THE PLT'S SPEACH WAS SLURRED & ERRATIC, & HE COULD NOT FIND THE DESTN ARPT. TWR PSNL AT THE DESTN ARPT IDENTIFIED THE ACFT BY USING THEIR BRITE RADAR & COULD CLEARLY SEE THE ACFT LGTS. THEY TRIED TO VECTORTHE ACFT TO THE ARPT, BUT THE PLT DID NOT FLW DRCTNS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GND NEAR THE EDGE OF A FLOODEDFIELD, WHILE DSCNDG WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED, APRX 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT. AN UNIDENTIFIED BARBITUATE WAS FND IN THE PLT'S GASTRIC CONTENTS. HIS DOCTOR HAD PRESCRIBED TALWIN & DARVOCET-N 100 FOR BACK PAIN. THE MEDICINE COULD HAVE CAUSED DIS- ORIENTATION & DROWINESS. TOX CHK OF HIS BLOOD WAS NEG FOR DRUGS, ALCOHOL & CARBON MONOXIDE. INSUF URINE FOR DRUG CHK.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,609 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1984; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TDZ Toledo OH
- Destination: TOL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from TOL, 7 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.