Piper PA-28-235 accident near Kelleys Island, Ohio, July 28, 2002
On July 28, 2002 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N15442, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kelleys Island, Ohio (Kelleys Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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-in-command's failure to obtain a proper touchdown point. A factor was the downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2002 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kelleys Island, Ohio · Kelleys Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N15442 · registry record · serial 28-7310046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from runway 27 on Kellys Island where the airplane was based. The pilot reported that during final approach back to runway 27, the airplane encountered a severe downdraft. The pilot applied full power, but the airplane struck a rock prior to the runway. The reported wind at an airport about 15 miles southeast, was from 230 degrees at 12 knots, with no gusts. The reported wind at a buoy located about 7 miles northwest, was from 244 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 17 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,620 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,620 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2002; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 89D Kelleys Island OH at 9:40 pm
- Destination: 89D OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,203 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LPR, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 NYC02LA151.