Piper PA-28-140 accident near Zanesville, Ohio, September 27, 1997
On September 27, 1997 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6308W, was destroyed in an accident near Zanesville, Ohio (Johns Landing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to perform the published short/soft field takeoff procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 1997 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Zanesville, Ohio · Johns Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6308W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20352
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot completed the engine run up, the takeoff checklist, and set 10 degrees of flaps for take off on the 2,000 foot grass runway. The pilot rotated at 65 knots and 'the airplane lifted off fine.' With the trees at the end of the runway approaching, the pilot reported that 'the airplane suddenly felt like it needed help, the control yoke felt sloppy and the stall warning light came on. The airplane's airspeed dropped to 60 knots, and the lift was getting worse.' The pilot remarked that he was concerned that 'if he lowered the nose of the airplane to accelerate, he could not have cleared the trees at the end of the runway.' The pilot told the passenger that they were going into the trees. Spotting an opening in the trees that he thought the fuselage could go through, the pilot 'fully stalled the airplane.' The pilot reported he never lost engine power. The Owner's Handbook stated for short/soft field take-off's with obstacle clearance to set the flaps to 25 degrees. A takeoff chart also revealed that a runway of 2,000 feet was required to clear a 50 foot obstacle at the environmental conditions.
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: 165 hours in all; 109 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1996; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 2I8 Newark OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ZZV, 8 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.