# Accident 20040613030609A: Piper PA32R301, Baxley, GA, June 13, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 13, 2004, 22:45 local time
- Place: Baxley, GA
- Airport: Baxley Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.7136° N, 82.3936° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7136&lon=-82.3936&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8451E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8451E-2004-11-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301 (registry code 7103218, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32R301
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 850 total, 550 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL04LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA126) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040613030609A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 ATL04LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA126), Jun 14, 2004: Piper PA 32R-301 (N8451E), Baxley, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The mechanical malfunction of the autopilot pitch servo, and the pilot's inability to maintain adequate control pressure to manually retrim the pitch attitude.

## Other reports on N8451E (1)

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

- [Accident 19990708046229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990708046229A), Jul 8, 1999: Piper PA32R301 (N8451E), Fargo, ND, No damage. (-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.…

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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