Piper PA 24-250 accident near Port Clinton, Ohio, July 20, 2002
On July 20, 2002 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA 24-250, registered N5227P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Clinton, Ohio (Carl Keller Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2002 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Port Clinton, Ohio · Carl Keller Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 24-250 · all PA 24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5227P · registry record · serial 24-257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing takeoffs and landings for flight currency. After her third takeoff, she completed a traffic pattern and configured the airplane for landing. The flaps were fully deployed, the airspeed was 80 knots, and the airplane was about 15 feet above the ground when it rolled to the right. A few seconds later the stall horn rang and the airplane hit the runway.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 258 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 26, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,259.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2001; 24.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-AIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PCW Port Clinton OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from TDZ
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.