- Date
- August 18, 1996, 18:59 local (23:59 UTC)
- Place
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4405EPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960818023089A
- Case key
- 3754
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to see and avoid an antenna during low altitude maneuvering.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the airplane collided with a relay antenna during maneuvering flight as he searched for a friend's home. After the collision, the pilot regained control of the airplane and returned to the departure airport. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
Factual narrative
On August 18, 1996, at 1859 central daylight time, a Piper PA-38 N4405E, collided with a State Police relay antenna about 300 above the ground five miles east of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane received substantial damage, and the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed Tuscaloosa at 1830.
According to the pilot, the collision occurred as he searched for a friend's home in the vicinity of the relay antenna. After the collision, the pilot regained control of the airplane and returned to Tuscaloosa. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot. .
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4405E
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-78A0594
- Airframe hours
- 4,603
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2A, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Glenn Plugge
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1996 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- TCL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 173 total · 18 in this make and model · 141 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TCL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.