12) LOSS OF SPEED AWARENESS, U-FIT

Piper PA28-180 | N7188W

May 14th, 2026 | Akron, Ohio

Accident Location

  • City: Akron
  • State: Ohio
  • Latitude: 41.018464
  • Longitude: -81.507589
  • Airport ID: KACR

Aircraft Info

  • N Number: N7188W
  • Make: Piper
  • Model: PA28-180
  • Aircraft Category: Aircraft Single Engine Land
  • Amateur Built: No

Pilot Info

  • PIC Name: Albee, Colin Michael
  • Gender: Male
  • Pilot Age: 39
  • Pilot Hours:
  • Flight School: No
  • Instructional Flight: Yes
  • Pilot Certification: Commercial Pilot
  • IFR Rating: Yes
  • Pilot Error: Yes
  • Pilot Medical: 2nd Class Medical
  • Pilot Incapacitation: No

Analysis

  • Date: May 14th, 2026
  • Time: 3:45 PM Local Time
  • Day / Night: Day
  • VMC / IMC: VMC
  • Phase Of Flight: Approach
  • Total People Onboard: 2
  • PIC Fatality: 1
  • PAX Fatalities: 1
  • Ground Fatalities: 0
  • Total Fatalities: 2
  • NTSB No:
  • NTSB Travel: Unknown
  • AQP Classification: 12) LOSS OF SPEED AWARENESS, U-FIT

Probable Cause

DTSB: The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be pilot error, in that the pilot was in the left traffic pattern for runway 07 at KACR, and over shot a turn to final, and did lose speed awareness, whereupon the aircraft was operated well below DMMS, and did stall and spin from approximately 1,000 feet AGL, an altitude too low for any stall spin recovery to be effective. The final flight path is mostly a rotating vertical type path, with impact occurring in the street, and final resting place of the aircraft located at 855 feet to the southeast of the runway 07 final approach course, at an address of 2238 Canterbury Circle, Akron, Ohio.

NTSB: NONE

Recommendation

DTSB: The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft rehearse and condition themselves in order to PREVENT flight below DMMS at all times until stabilized on final, and then fly no slower than Vref. The DTSB also recommends that all light aircraft placard the airspeed indicator with both DMMS, and Vref, and condition themselves to honor both at all times as minimums.

NTSB: NONE

DISCLAIMER: All data and Probable Cause listings are “Probable” only. They are based on opinion and educated speculation, and are for educational purposes only. They may contain incorrect information and are subject to change as new information becomes available.