Aviat A-1 accident near Kidron, Ohio, August 12, 2000
On August 12, 2000 at about 5:24 pm local time, a Aviat A-1, registered N79PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kidron, Ohio (Stoltzfus Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain a proper glide path and proper visual lookout that resulted in collision with wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2000 · about 5:24 pm local time
- Place
- Kidron, Ohio · Stoltzfus Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1
- Registration
- N79PS · no longer on the register · serial 1327
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he observed landing and departing traffic from the traffic pattern, and noticed an airplane landing on the grass west of the runway. He determined the displaced threshold was due to tall trees, and opted for an approach and landing to the grass left (west) of the treeline and the runway. The pilot said that after he turned final and maneuvered left of the trees, he saw the marker balls on the wires. He elected to fly under the marked wires on the north side of the road and struck unmarked wires on the south side. He said: "I was able to go under the wires that were marked without any contact but as I did that, I caught a wire that was unmarked on the south side of the road, which caused the airplane to pitch down and hit the ground." The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. Runway 36 was 3,400 feet long with a displaced threshold. A paved road oriented East/West ran perpendicular to the runway at the approach end of Runway 36. A set of high tension power lines with orange marker balls displayed, ran along the North side of the roadway.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,405 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,967 as pilot in command; 474 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1999; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P37 Freeport PA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: OH22
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,400 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 127°F (53°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BJJ, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.