# NTSB ATL81FA050: Piper PA-28, N2552U, Statesville, NC, February 22, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: February 22, 1981
- Place: Statesville, NC · STATESVILLE, NC
- Location: 35.7826° N, 80.8873° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Statesville, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7826&lon=-80.8873&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 28, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126913
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL81FA050
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL81FA050

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0429  81/2/22    STATESVILLE,NC      PIPER PA-28         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 42, 168
        TIME - 1745                    N2552U              PX-  0  0  1  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - STATESVILLE
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          MORGANTON,NC                TWIN LAKES,NC
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: RUNWAY OR APPROACH LIGHTS                 LANDING: ROLL
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INCAPACITATION
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - PILOT SUFFERED HEART ATTACK
           MISCELLANEOUS - UNQUALIFIED PERSON OPERATED AIRCRAFT
        REMARKS- A/C LANDED BY PLTS WIFE.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N2552U (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Statesville

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19810222004829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810222004829A), Feb 22, 1981: Piper PA28161, Statesville, NC, Substantial damage. Pilot had heart attack en route. Passenger landed airplane. Lost control on rollout, struck VASI light.

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.

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