20040613030609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-301 · Baxley, GA · June 13, 2004

Date: June 13, 2004 · 22:45 local
Place: Baxley, GA
Airport: Baxley Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Forced Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8451E
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA126
Reported as: Piper PA32R301
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 850 total550 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N8451ERegistration cancelled Nov 5, 2004 · Piper PA-32R-301S/N 32R-8113122 · Built 1981 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-301 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot filed IFR flight plan from kuse to kbhc at 10,000'. Approximately 4.5 hours after departure while in the descent to Baxley (kbhc) the pilot claims he disengaged the autopilot and the aircraft pitched up and became uncontrollable. After several minutes of attempting to control the aircraft, he descended into the trees and crashed in a heavily wooded area.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT FILED IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM KUSE TO KBHC AT 10,000'. APPROXIMATELY 4.5 HOURS AFTER DEPARTURE WHILE IN THE DESCENT TO BAXLEY (KBHC) THE PILOT CLAIMS HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT AND THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT, HE DESCENDED INTO THE TREES AND CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04LA126Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBaxley, GAThe mechanical malfunction of the autopilot pitch servo, and the pilot's inability to maintain adequate control pressure to manually retrim the pitch attitude.Jun 14, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8451E · 1

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

Accident 19990708046229AFargo, ND(-23) Pilot was executing an ILS-35 approach to Fargo int'l. airport. At approximately 3 miles from the runway threshold the engine sputtered and lost power. Pilot performed emergency landing in a railroad switching yard appros 2 miles from the airport.Jul 8, 1999 · No damage