Piper PA-24-250 accident near Ravenna, Ohio, May 18, 1991
On May 18, 1991 at about 3:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7808P, was destroyed in an accident near Ravenna, Ohio (Portage County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO ASSURE THAT ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WAS MAINTAINED, AFTER MANEUVERING (TURNING) FOR SPACING BEHIND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH AND THE CFI'S LACK OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1991 · about 3:47 pm local time
- Place
- Ravenna, Ohio · Portage County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7808P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3028
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE WIFE OF THE AIRPLANE OWNER WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN A 'PINCH HITTER' COURSE. A GUIDELINE FOR INSTRUCTORS OF THIS COURSE REFERENCED MAXIMUM BANK ANGLES OF 30 DEGREES AND TO NOT FRIGHTEN THE STUDENT. AFTER ONE TOUCH AND GO, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP 360 DEGREE TURN FOR APPARENT SPACING BEHIND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED AND DISAPPEAR BEHIND TREES. WITNESSES HEARD A SURGE OF POWER BEFORE IMPACT. AN EXAM OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S (CFI'S) LOGBOOK SHOWED HE HAD NOT LOGGED FLIGHT TIME IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE, THOUGH HE HAD FLOWN ON A PREVIOUS FLIGHT WITH THE OWNER. THE LOG BOOK WAS CURRENT THROUGH TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,401 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,306 as pilot in command; 376 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,981 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1990; 128 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.