# Accident 20151105021719A: Piper PA-28-180, Habersham, GA, November 5, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 5, 2015, 00:02 local time
- Place: Habersham, GA
- Airport: Habersham County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.5028° N, 83.5589° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5028&lon=-83.5589&mi=10
- Aircraft: N57WV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N57WV-2018-03-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 732 total, 732 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16FA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151105021719A

## Narrative

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

ON NOVEMBER 5, 2015, THIS OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED 06:30 LOCAL TIME BY THE FAA ROC THAT A PIPER PA-28-180, N57WV SERIAL NUMBER 28-4648 OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH UNKNOWN INJURIES/FATALITIES IN BALDWIN, GA.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT (HABERSHAM COUNTY AIRPORT, KAJR).  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ST LUCIE COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FPR), FT. PIERCE, FLORIDA.  THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED.

PERSONNEL FROM THIS OFFICE WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE AND ARRIVED AT 9:00 AM EASTERN STANDARD TIME ON NOVEMBER 5, 2015.  UPON ARRIVAL, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA APPROXIMATELY .25 MILES NW FROM KAJR IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT A 330 DEGREE HEADING.  NO WITNESSES WERE AVAILABLE.  NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE OR POST-CRASH FIRE WAS NOTED.  THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT (FROM ENGINE TO COCKPIT) WAS ROUGHLY FOUR FEET BELOW THE SURFACE INTO THE GROUND.  THE CABIN AND REST OF EMPENNAGE WAS CRUSHED TOWARDS THE GROUND IN A COMPRESSED FASHION.  THE TAIL SECTION REMAINED INTACT AND APPEARED FOLDED BACKWARDS ON THE FUSELAGE.  THE WINGS COMPRESSED PERPENDICULAR TO GROUND LEVEL CONSISTENT WITH THE ANGLE OF THE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.  THE AIRCRAFT DATA PLATE WAS VERIFIED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.  THE PROPELLER HAD DAMAGE THAT INDICATED ROTATION. ONE BLADE WAS BENT AFT ABOUT 80 DEGREES AND TWISTED. THE OTHER BLADE WAS BENT AFT ABOUT 30 DEGREES AND BENT AT THE ROOT AND BENT AROUND FIVE INCHES FROM THE TIP.  BOTH BLADES HAD SCRATCHES, GOUGES, AND PAINT ABRASION.

## 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 ERA16FA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16FA032), Nov 5, 2015: Piper PA 28-180 (N57WV), Cornelia, GA, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to initiate the flight into known adverse weather conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control.

## Other reports on N57WV (1)

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

- [Accident 20110423008709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110423008709A), Apr 23, 2011: Piper PA-28-180 (N57WV), Lake Wales, FL, Substantial damage. On Saturday 23 apr 2011, N57WV, a 1968 PA-28-180 "cherokee d", piloted by james t. lycett, experienced loss of control upon landing rollout on rw 18 at Chalet…

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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