Piper PA-24-250 accident near North Lima, Ohio, April 19, 2004
On April 19, 2004, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5369P, was destroyed in an accident near North Lima, Ohio (Youngstown Elser Metro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a safe altitude clearance from trees. Factors included the night lighting conditions and the pilot's diminished night vision capability.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2004
- Place
- North Lima, Ohio · Youngstown Elser Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5369P · no longer on the register · serial 24-418
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing landings to runway 28. The sun had set, but there was still residual light to the west. The airplane took off, completed a circuit at a low altitude, and just barely cleared trees and wires on the final approach to a landing. As the pilot taxied the airplane back to the approach end of the runway, a witness saw that the cockpit instrument lights were on. The airplane took off again, and flew another circuit at low altitude, then impacted trees as it was turning onto the final approach leg. One area resident heard engine "backfires," while others thought the engine "just didn't sound right," and had an "odd noise," but didn't hear any backfires. Two airline transport pilots, who were watching the airplane from the airport ramp, did not note any engine problems, and an examination of the airplane after the accident also did not reveal any airframe or engine anomalies. The runway had a precision approach path indicator (PAPI), described by one of the airline transport pilots as "brilliant red." The pilot had an eye examination about 6 months prior to the accident. On a questionnaire, he stated "yes" to whether bright lights bothered him, and "yes" to having trouble with night vision.
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: 700 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2003; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 4G4 North Lima OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,012 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.