# Accident 20230927019399A: Piper PA-28-161, Whitesville, KY, September 27, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 27, 2023, 22:49 local time
- Place: Whitesville, KY
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.6344° N, 86.8904° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6344&lon=-86.8904&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3079M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3079M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 300 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23FA380](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA380) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230927019399A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED, AROUND 2155 CDT, BOWLING GREEN-WARREN COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (BWG) TO OWENSBORO/DAVIESS COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT (OWB) FOR SECOND LEG OF NIGHT FLIGHT TRAINING FOR THE STUDENT PILOT ALONG WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. APPROXIMATELY 55 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WEATHER AND EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT BREAKUP. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE DEBRIS FIELD WAS SCATTERED OVER APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRES OF A HILLY, DENSELY WOODED AREA, NEAR WHITESVILLE, KY. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE RECOVERED, EXCEPT FOR THE LEFT HORZITONAL STABILATOR/ELEVATOR.

## 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 ERA23FA380](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA380), Sep 28, 2023: Piper PA28 (N3079M), Whitesville, KY, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s improper decision to continue flight into a known area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.

## Other reports on N3079M (1)

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

- [Accident 19930727025769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930727025769A), Jul 27, 1993: Piper PA28161 (N3079M), Houston, TX, Substantial damage. During taxi for takeoff collided with auto driven by lost driver. Impact tore off left wing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.