Piper PA28 accident near Fairmont, West Virginia, October 27, 2024
On October 27, 2024 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1971 Piper PA28, registered N926MK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fairmont, West Virginia (Fairmont Municipal Airport-Fra). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2024 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairmont, West Virginia · Fairmont Municipal Airport-Fra · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1971 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N926MK · registry record · serial 28-7125138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that after a successful first landing, he attempted a second landing but initiated a go-around due to the airplane being high on final approach. On the second attempt, he noted that the wind velocity had increased. During the landing, the airplane bounced and was pushed to the left. Despite corrective inputs, the airplane veered off the runway, impacted a guardrail, and a postimpact fire ensued. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,782 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2024; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 1,772 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,965 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.40 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from CKB, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCKB 271553Z 34004KT 10SM CLR 12/02 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP293 T01220017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA25LA025.