# Accident 19800914041309A: Piper PA32R300, Orange, VA, September 14, 1980

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 14, 1980, 19:15 local time
- Place: Orange, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2478° N, 78.1132° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Orange, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2478&lon=-78.1132&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3026C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3026C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32RT-300T (registry code 7103216, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R300
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,118 total, 150 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL80FID30](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL80FID30) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800914041309A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

FLEW INTO AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS HEAVY RAIN, POOR VISIBILITY. MADE HARD FAST LANDING IN ROUGH PASTURE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

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.

- [NTSB ATL80FID30](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL80FID30), Sep 14, 1980: Piper PA-32R (N3026C), Orange, VA, substantial damage

## Other reports on N3026C (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19900826060529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900826060529I), Aug 26, 1990: Piper PA32RT300T (N3026C), Philadelphia, PA, Minor damage. Right gear collapsed on rollout. Total electrical failure in flight. Used portable radio. Found alternator bad.
- [Incident 19810130011969I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810130011969I), Jan 30, 1981: Piper PA32RT300T (N3026C), Hagerstown, MD, Minor damage. Nose gear collapsed at touch down due to down lock hook broken.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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