# NTSB IAD02LA078: Piper PA 24-250, N5227P, Port Clinton, OH, July 20, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 20, 2002, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Port Clinton, OH - Coordinates: 41.532775, -82.868614 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5328&lon=-82.8686&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report August 26, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 55264 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD02LA078 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55264/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55264 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD02LA078 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot was performing takeoffs and landings for flight currency. After her third takeoff, she completed a traffic pattern and configured the airplane for landing. The flaps were fully deployed, the airspeed was 80 knots, and the airplane was about 15 feet above the ground when it rolled to the right. A few seconds later the stall horn rang and the airplane hit the runway. ## Factual narrative On July 20, 2002, at 1415 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N5227P, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Carl R. Keller Field (PCW), Port Clinton, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to perform three takeoffs and landings for flight currency. She performed the preflight inspection, engine start, and run-up procedure by the checklist with no anomalies noted. During the procedures, she monitored the AWOS frequency, and noted that the winds had changed from southerly to northerly. The pilot took off from runway 36, remained in the traffic pattern, and performed two full stop landings without incident. After each landing, she taxied back to the approach end of runway 36 for takeoff. After her third takeoff, she completed a traffic pattern and configured the airplane for landing. The flaps were fully deployed, the airspeed was 80 knots, and the airplane was about 15 feet above the ground when it rolled to the right. The pilot felt an updraft on the left wing, and the passenger asked what it was. A few seconds later she heard the stall horn, saw the [stall warning] light, and "Bang!" on the runway all at the same time. When asked if she pondered or initiated a go-around, the pilot said that she did not because the wings were level, and she was lined up with the runway. In a written statement, the passenger stated that the airplane stalled during a practice landing. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. Her most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued July 9, 2002. The pilot reported 424 hours of flight experience, 340 hours of which were in make and model. The pilot's most recent flight was October 13, 2000. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The weather reported at an airport 27 miles west of Port Clinton, included variable winds at 6 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5227P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5227P), registered now, S/N 24-257, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA 24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-257 - Airframe hours: 4259.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-AIA5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Warren C. Cermak - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 18, 2001, 24.4 hours before - Departed: PCW, Port Clinton, OH - Airport: PCW, Carl Keller Field, runway 36, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 26, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 425 total, 340 in this make and model, 258 as pilot in command, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: TDZ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020720038279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020720038279A), Jul 20, 2002: Piper PA24250, Port Clinton, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) On the third landing attempt of a series of practice takeoff and landings at Port Clinton airport (pcw), the pilot reported experiencing an updraft on… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55264. 616 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 548 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463476&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Summaries of Interview (item 2, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40180013&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Summaries%20of%20Interview-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.