Fairchild M-62 accident near Grafton, Ohio, July 11, 2000
On July 11, 2000 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Fairchild M-62, registered N51941, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grafton, Ohio (Brechfields Shab'S). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taking off.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2000 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grafton, Ohio · Brechfields Shab'S · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild M-62 · all M-62s on the register
- Registration
- N51941 · no longer on the register · serial T421838
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taking off on a sod runway, the airplane became airborne at an airspeed of about 75 mph. As the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 30-40 feet above the ground, the pilot 'flattened' the climb angle to gain more airspeed. The nose of the airplane then fell and the wing dropped. The airplane descended and impacted the ground. The uncertificated pilot reported about 300 total hours of flight experience, with about 100 hours in make and model.
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
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 30, 1989; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-440 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,813 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from CLE, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 NYC00LA195.