Piper PA-28-180 accident near Gallipolis, Ohio, October 2, 2023
On October 2, 2023 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA-28-180, registered N7461W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gallipolis, Ohio (Gallia-Meigs Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
A collapse of the nose landing gear during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with an approach lighting system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2023 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gallipolis, Ohio · Gallia-Meigs Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180, built 1963 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7461W · registry record · serial 28-1367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot approached the runway for landing and described that the main landing gear first touched down first. The nose landing gear then contacted the runway and immediately collapsed. The student pilot applied the brakes and the airplane departed the left side of the runway onto the grass. The airplane struck a lighting system and came to rest about 35 ft from the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported “there were no visible signs of mechanical failure” on the nose landing gear prior to the accident flight, and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the nose landing gear after the accident did not observe any mechanical discrepancies.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 18 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,649.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 870 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRW Charleston WV at 10:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 3,999 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PKB, 45 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPKB 022353Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 21/18 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP224 T02110178 10289 20206 53003
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA002.