# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-28-181: Loss of control in flight

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 ERA26FA329](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA329.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Ludlow, MA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report · Sep 6, 2026 · N7653F · Destroyed
  > On September 5, 2026, about 2105 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N7653F, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Ludlow, Massachusetts. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of…
- [NTSB ERA25LA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA275.md): Piper PA28 · San Juan, PR · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 21, 2025 · N4187U · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s excessing pitch attitude during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ERA23LA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA296.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Lumberton, NJ · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 10, 2023 · N8126X · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper flight control inputs and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with the runway edge lights.
- [NTSB CEN23LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA092.md): Piper PA-28 · Eden Prairie, MN · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jan 23, 2023 · N7114C · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and ground impact.
- [NTSB CEN22LA249](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA249.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Eaton Rapids, MI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 14, 2022 · N3553M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed in the climb with a quartering tailwind which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with trees.
- [NTSB CEN21LA197](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA197.md): Piper PA28 · Faribault, MN · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 22, 2021 · N7114C · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain control during takeoff in gusty wind conditions and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in the airplane colliding with trees and subsequently the ground.
- [NTSB ERA20LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA309.md): Piper PA28 · McMinnville, TN · Accident · 3 fatal · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 8, 2020 · N4166Z · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure in a cylinder, and the pilot’s subsequent failure to maintain airspeed and her exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering at low altitude.
- [NTSB GAA18CA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA274.md): Piper PA28 · Wickenburg, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 10, 2018 · N430PA · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in tailwind conditions.
- [NTSB GAA18CA193](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA193.md): Piper PA28 · Phoenix, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 1, 2018 · N297PA · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper selection of the flap setting during a go-around, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB CEN17FA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA258.md): Piper PA 28-181 · Waterford, OH · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 8, 2017 · N793MA · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation in instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB GAA17CA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA166.md): Piper PA28 · Phoenix, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 27, 2017 · N309PA · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s incorrect control inputs while taking off with a known quartering tailwind, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.
- [NTSB ERA16LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA106.md): Piper PA28 · Destin, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 13, 2016 · N2209W · Destroyed
  > The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to turn the airplane away from the lighted airport at low altitude, over water, with no visible horizon, in dark night conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control.
- [NTSB CEN15CA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15CA165.md): Piper PA 28-181 · Lee's Summit, MO · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 1, 2015 · N3575X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot-receiving-instruction's excessive pitch control during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall shortly after liftoff and the subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the flight crew's decision to have the flight…
- [NTSB CEN11CA682](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA682.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Texarkana, AR · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 24, 2011 · N991TF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.
- [NTSB WPR10CA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA172.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Phoenix, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 21, 2010 · N428PA · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's failure to attain and maintain adequate airspeed while demonstrating a soft-field takeoff.
- [NTSB ERA09CA322](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA322.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Caldwell, NJ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 31, 2009 · N811SA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to ensure that he could operate the rudder pedals without interference.
- [NTSB CHI08CA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA147.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Dixon, IL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 2, 2008 · N2108N · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot improperly raised the flaps during the go-around, did not maintain airspeed, and stalled the airplane. The trees were a factor.
- [NTSB DEN08LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA079.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Reserve, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 17, 2008 · N6260J · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of aircraft control, resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors in this accident were the sudden windshift to a gusting tailwind, an uphill runway, high density altitude, the pilot's failure to use all available runwayt, and his…

## 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 ('7102807', '7102832')
    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" = '240' 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/240/sequence?model=7102807

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