Piper PA28-140 accident near Wadsworth, Ohio, June 2, 1990
On June 2, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N8760N, was destroyed in an accident near Wadsworth, Ohio (Wadsworth airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE DUAL STUDENT TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wadsworth, Ohio · Wadsworth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8760N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25581
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN ELECTRICAL UTILITY POLE DURING A FINAL APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO PERSONS AT THE AIRPORT THE STUDENT PILOT HAD FLOWN INTO THE AIRPORT, PICKED UP A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND THEN DEPARTED FOR A PERIOD OF LOCAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN STEADY STATE FLIGHT UNTIL IT STRUCK THE POLE. THE RUNWAY IS SERVED BY A VASI WHICH WAS OPERATIONAL AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,525 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 2:50 pm from CAK, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.