# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-28-161: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN25LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA146.md): Piper PA28 · Ault, CO · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 7, 2025 · N8282V · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s failure to maintain terrain clearance during an attempted go-around, which resulted in a collision with a fence post.
- [NTSB ERA21LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA111.md): Piper PA-28-161 · Boynton Beach, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 25, 2021 · N266ND · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s controlled flight into the ocean at night due to his unrecognized spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction with the tuning of his transponder while maneuvering over an area with reduced visual references.
- [NTSB WPR17LA124](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA124.md): Piper PA28 · Carpinteria, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 10, 2017 · N2171D · Substantial damage
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
- [NTSB ERA15LA315](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA315.md): Piper PA 28-161 · Bristow, VA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 16, 2015 · N82587 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during approach, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the student’s distraction due to other traffic in the airport traffic pattern.
- [NTSB WPR13CA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA219.md): Piper PA-28 · Cottonwood, AZ · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 7, 2013 · N47717 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's decision to attempt a night landing on an unlit runway, which resulted in a misaligned approach and subsequent collision with a fence. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's improper set-up of the airplane radios, which…
- [NTSB ERA11LA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA104.md): Piper PA-28-161 · Benton, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 3, 2011 · N42997 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during the night flight.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7102803', '7102834')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '120' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence?model=7102803

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