Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Wilmington, Ohio, March 11, 1995
On March 11, 1995 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N8395Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilmington, Ohio (Clinton Field). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance during a go around, which resulted in an inflight collision with a snowbank. A factor is the pilot's delay in initiating a go around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1995 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, Ohio · Clinton Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8395Y · registry record · serial 28R-8118072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FINAL APPROACH AT WILMINGTON, OHIO, THE PILOT OBSERVED AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT AND PERFORMED A GO AROUND. DURING THE GO AROUND, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A SNOW BANK. THE PILOT RADIOED GROUND PERSONNEL TO VISUALLY CHECK HIS LANDING GEAR. GROUND PERSONNEL TOLD THE PILOT THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR HAD ROTATED 90 DEGREES FROM ITS NORMAL POSITION. THE PILOT RETURNED TO WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO AND PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 205 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,895 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wpafb Aero Club Operator
The flight
- Departed from: FFO Dayton OH at 1:25 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 20, 3,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from FFO, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.