# NTSB IAD80FA030: Piper PA-34, N36074, Pine Mountain, GA, March 7, 1980

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: March 7, 1980
- Place: Pine Mountain, GA · PINE MOUNTAIN, GA
- Location: 32.8559° N, 84.8520° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pine Mountain, GA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8559&lon=-84.8520&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal, 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report May 23, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 132174
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD80FA030
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD80FA030

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0021   80/3/7    PINE MOUNTAIN,GA    PIPER PA-34         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1909                    N36074              PX-  3  2  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  AGE 37, 1900 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            204 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - CALLAWAY GARDENS
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          HOHENWALD,TN                PINE MOUNTAIN,GA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           UNDERSHOOT                                               LANDING: FINAL APPROACH
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: FINAL APPROACH
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - FOG
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  400
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       64
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          180                                                       4
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- VOR-A APCH.PLT REPORTED LOST SIGHT OF RWY DOWNWIND.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N36074](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36074-2013-03-07), registration cancelled 2013-03-07, S/N 34-7870289, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Callaway Gardens

## 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 19800307018639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800307018639A), Mar 7, 1980: Piper PA34200T, Pine Mountain, GA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Circling to land after VOR approach. Ran into fogbank. Failed to check altitude. Struck trees near airport.

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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