Piper PA-28-140 accident near Paris, Ohio, April 5, 1992
On April 5, 1992 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9741W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paris, Ohio (Minerva airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVER HIGHER TERRAIN WITH A CLIMB RATE THAT WAS INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AND THE GUSTY CROSS WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1992 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Ohio · Minerva · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9741W · no longer on the register · serial 28-22918
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE THE TAKEOFF USING ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS INSTEAD OF THE RECOMMENDED TWO NOTCHES OF FLAPS. HE GOT AIRBORNE IN GROUND EFFECT AND THEN ACCELERATED TO BEST RATE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED INSTEAD OF USING BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB SPEED TO CLEAR OBSTACLES AS RECOMMENDED. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUCK BY MULTIPLE GUSTY CROSS WINDS WHICH BLEW THE AIRPLANE TOWARD HIGHER TERRAIN. THE PILOT SAID HE CORRECTED EACH TIME BY LOWERING THE NOSE AND USING AILERON, HOWEVER, THE CORRECTIONS WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR THE AMOUNT OF WIND THAT WAS PRESENT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A SERIES OF TREES WHILE CLIMBING AND THEN STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, HAD LESS THAN 100 HOURS, AND HAD RECEIVED HIS LICENSE 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,187 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 8, 1991; 207 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OH15 at 9:45 pm
- Destination: OH15
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,500 ft by 104 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CAK, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.