# Accident 20071003825239A: Piper PA28181, Walthourville, GA, October 3, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 3, 2007, 20:00 local time
- Place: Walthourville, GA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.7806° N, 81.6472° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7806&lon=-81.6472&mi=10
- Aircraft: N96HA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N96HA-2008-08-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (registry code 41504, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28181
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 238 total, 150 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA08FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08FA001) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071003825239A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 10/03/2007 AT BETWEEN 1800 AND 1830L AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KAND FOR A PART 91 VFR PERSONAL FLIGHT DIRECT TO K2J2. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. PILOT CONTACTED SAVANNA ATCT AND REQUESTED FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO K2J2. AT 1953L SAVANNA ATCT ADVISED PILOT, K2J2 WAS AT HIS 12 O'CLOCK AND 5NM AND RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED. REVIEW OF SAVANNAH RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 3,500 FEET AT 1932L. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A RIGHT TURN AND DESCENDED TO 2,000 FEET AND THEN ENTERS A LEFT TURN AT 1957:05L. AT 1957:14L THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDED TO 1,900 FEET. AT 1957:47L THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED TO 1,100 FEET. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT WAS AT 1958:20L, THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 400 FEET. AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR WALTHOURVILLE, GEORGIA. SEARCH PERSONNEL LOCATED THE AIRCRAFT ON OCTOBER 4, 2007, AT 1100L. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. WEATHER AT KLHW LOCATED 7.5NM NE OF K2J2 REPORTED AT 1955L 04004KT/10SM/FEW002/SCT 006/BKN010/OVC022/24/24/A2997. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT LOGS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT'S LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION CONDUCTED 12/18/2006; LAST ALTIMETER/STATIC SYSTEMS/TRANSPONDER AND ENCODER CHECK 01/12/2005.

## 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 MIA08FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08FA001), Oct 3, 2007: Piper PA-28-181 (N96HA), Walthourville, GA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument rated pilot's loss of control at night in marginal night VFR operations due to spatial disorientation. A factor in the accident was the pilot's improper decision to continue the…

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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