Piper PA-28-180 accident near Leroy, Ohio, September 9, 1997
On September 9, 1997 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N2480R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leroy, Ohio (Pheasant Run airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a lack of fluid in the brake reservoir, and the pilot's decision to operate the airplane with defective brakes, which led to an overrun during landing and a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1997 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Leroy, Ohio · Pheasant Run · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2480R · no longer on the register · serial 28-5631
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed a Piper PA-28-180 on a 1,900 foot long turf runway. A witness reported that the airplane touched down about 300 feet past the approach end of the runway. Before stopping, the airplane ran off the departure end of the runway into trees and was substantially damaged. An FAA inspector reported that an examination of the airplane revealed the brake reservoir was empty. The airplane had received an annual inspection on 7/2/97. The pilot reported that during previous operations, the brakes were spongy, but that he could remedy the problem by pumping the brakes several times. Interviews disclosed the pilot had not reported the spongy brake problem to the mechanic, and he continued to fly the airplane with defective brakes.
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: 549 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 412 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,007 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1997; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7G2 Ashtabula OH at 1:40 am
- Destination: OI31
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 1,900 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from CGF, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.