Piper PA-60-601P accident near Columbus, Ohio, October 1, 1988
On October 1, 1988 at about 1:24 am local time, a Piper PA-60-601P, registered N14HR, was destroyed in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University airport). It was a business 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
AERODYNAMICALLY STALLED LIFTING SURFACE CAUSING AN UNCOMMANDED PITCH OVER AT AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW TO AFFECT A RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1988 · about 1:24 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Ohio State University
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-601P · all PA-60-601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N14HR · registry record · serial 61P-0479-193
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,802 hours in all; 44 in the last 90 days; 1,315 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1988; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-51A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 1:24 am
- Destination: N88 Doylestown PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9R, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:24 am from OSU, 1 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.
Other NTSB records under N14HR 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.