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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

February 3, 1991 · Piper PA-24-260 · N9209P

Cordele, GA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 3, 1991
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Cordele, GA
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-260
Tail Number
N9209P
Operator
Carter Richard C
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL91FA047

The pilot and two passengers were flying to an airport to pick up a friend. Night VMC prevailed. Witnesses observed the airplane flying at about 300 ft AGL at various positions over the city, varying headings, and sometimes circling. One witness stated that the pilot 'seemed like he didn't know where he was going.' The airplane then proceeded toward the midfield point of the airport on a northerly heading. It collided with pine trees, then fell into the roof of a church located 150 feet farther north. The aircraft, and church, were destroyed by fire. The fuel selector valve was found in the 'left aux' tank position; however, aux tanks were to be used in level flight only. Actuator settings indicated the gear was down & the flaps were up. Prop signatures indicated prop rotation in a power producing mode at impact. The runway lights for RWY 9/27 were on at the time, and the aircraft's northerly heading was not aligned with any runway. The location of the airport did not require the city to be overflowed.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARKNESS AND THE PILOT BECOMING LOST/DISORIENTED.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FLYING TO AN AIRPORT TO PICK UP A FRIEND. NIGHT VMC PREVAILED. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL AT VARIOUS POSITIONS OVER THE CITY, VARYING HEADINGS, AND SOMETIMES CIRCLING. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT 'SEEMED LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS GOING.' THE AIRPLANE THEN PROCEEDED TOWARD THE MIDFIELD POINT OF THE AIRPORT ON A NORTHERLY HEADING. IT COLLIDED WITH PINE TREES, THEN FELL INTO THE ROOF OF A CHURCH LOCATED 150 FEET FARTHER NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT, AND CHURCH, WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE 'LEFT AUX' TANK POSITION; HOWEVER, AUX TANKS WERE TO BE USED IN LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY. ACTUATOR SETTINGS INDICATED THE GEAR WAS DOWN & THE FLAPS WERE UP. PROP SIGNATURES INDICATED PROP ROTATION IN A POWER PRODUCING MODE AT IMPACT. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS FOR RWY 9/27 WERE ON AT THE TIME, AND THE AIRCRAFT'S NORTHERLY HEADING WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH ANY RUNWAY. THE LOCATION OF THE AIRPORT DID NOT REQUIRE THE CITY TO BE OVERFLOWN.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:14 EST
Nearest AirportCrisp-County Cordele (1nm S)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-24-260
Tail NumberN9209P
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorCarter Richard C
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-D4A5 · Reciprocating · 260
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 60 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind10° @ 6 kt, gusting 1 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point61 F / 52
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time00:48
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data