Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) crash, Sep 30, 1988 (1 killed)
Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601) accident on September 30, 1988 near Columbus-Ohio State University-Don Scott, Ohio, United States with 1 fatality....
- Date: September 30, 1988
- Aircraft: Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601)
- Location: Columbus-Ohio State University-Don Scott, Ohio, United States
- Fatalities: 1
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: Aerodynamic stall of the lifting surfaces causing an uncommanded pitch over at too low an altitude to recover. An unsecured main entry door and inadequate preflight by the pilot in command were also found.
On the night of 30 September 1988 a Piper Aerostar departed the Columbus Ohio State University airport for Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Witnesses described an erratic flight path, and the upper half of the main entry door was found not closed at impact. The aircraft stalled at low altitude, pitched over and struck the ground shortly after takeoff, killing the pilot.