Piper PA-34-200 accident near Bowling Green, Ohio, October 24, 1993
On October 24, 1993 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N2874T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowling Green, Ohio (Wood County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND BY THE STUDENT PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE NONCOMPLIANCE WITH PUBLISHED PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1993 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Ohio · Wood County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2874T · no longer on the register · serial 34-7250179
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING THE CFI SET THE RIGHT ENGINE TO ZERO THRUST. ON FINAL APPROACH WITH THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS EXTENDED, THE STUDENT PILOT ELECTED TO GO-AROUND SINGLE ENGINE. THE GO-AROUND WAS STARTED AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE LEFT WING CAME UP QUICKLY AND THE CFI ATTEMPTED TO GET POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. BEFORE THE CFI COULD GET THE AIRPLANE UNDER CONTROL THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE; THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND; AND THE AIRPLANE SLID ABOUT 300 TO 400 FEET BEFORE IT CAME TO REST. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE PA-34-200'S FLIGHT MANUAL, SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND IS NOT RECOMMENDED, AND '...THE SUDDEN APPLICATION OF POWER DURING SINGLE ENGINE OPERATION MAKES CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE MORE DIFFICULT.'
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,300 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming L/IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bowling Green University
The flight
- Destination: 1G0
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.