Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lebanon, Ohio, September 24, 1989
On September 24, 1989 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N55357, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lebanon, Ohio (Lebanon-Warren County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ALLOWED HIS FINAL APPROACH AIRSPEED TO GET TOO SLOW, HE DELAYED IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION, THEN ATTEMPTED AN ABORTED LANDING WITH INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE PILOT'S LACK TOTAL EXPERIENCE WAS CONSIDERED A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1989 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Ohio · Lebanon-Warren County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N55357 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7305367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING AN APCH TO LAND, HE WAS FOLLOWING SLOW TRAFFIC. HE SAID HE MAINTAINED SLOW FLT ON FINAL APCH UNTIL THE PRECEDING ACFT CLEARED THE RWY. HE THEN NOTICED HIS AIRSPEED WAS TOO SLOW & APPLIED FULL POWER; HOWEVER, THE ACFT DROPPED TO THE RWY. THE PLT MAINTAINED FULL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND. HE SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED/ALTITUDE. THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND AGAIN & THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THEN THE ACFT SLID ACROSS A PARALLEL TAXIWAY & CAME TO A STOP.
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: 63 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 35 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,124 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T6G Tiffin OH at 9:45 pm
- Destination: I68
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DAY, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.