Piper PA-28-160 accident near Huron, Ohio, June 18, 2002
On June 18, 2002 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5369W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huron, Ohio. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The dual student's inadvertent shutdown of the engine and the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2002 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Huron, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5369W · no longer on the register · serial 28-434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was in the left seat, and the flight instructor was in the right seat. The airplane was about 1 mile from the runway, in a glide, when the flight instructor asked the student pilot to turn on the landing lights and navigation beacon. A few seconds later, the flight instructor asked the student pilot to add power. The student pilot answered that he was adding power, but that the engine was not responding. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and switched fuel tanks, but the engine still did not respond. The flight instructor then performed a forced landing to a field off to his right. The field was part of a tree farm, and the airplane struck 35-40 saplings before coming to a stop. After the airplane came to a stop, the flight instructor performed the shutdown procedures. When he attempted to turn off the magneto switch, he found it was already in the "OFF" position. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed aviation fuel in both tanks, and the engine was subsequently operated through all ignition switch positions without any anomalies noted.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 21,800 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,525 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2002; 1.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 88D Huron OH at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
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.