# NTSB MIA78FA101: Piper PA-28R, N47975, Courtland, AL, July 1, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: July 1, 1978
- Place: Courtland, AL · COURTLAND, AL
- Location: 34.6699° N, 87.3279° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Courtland, AL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6699&lon=-87.3279&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report October 13, 1978
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 140250
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA78FA101
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA78FA101

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2620   78/7/1  NR.COURTLAND,AL       PIPER PA-28R        CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 47, 160
        TIME - 1515                    N47975              PX-  1  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 5 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CHATTANOOGA,TN              MESQUITE,TX
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - OVERLOAD FAILURE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                      RAIN, THUNDERSTORM
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- ACFT FELL IN TENNESSEE RIVER AFTER SUSTAINING IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP IN THUNDERSTORM.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N47975](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47975-2012-12-13), registration cancelled 2012-12-13, S/N 28R-7803051, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-201T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201t) (registry code 7102813) (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

## 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 19780701031059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780701031059A), Jul 1, 1978: Piper PA28R, Courtland, AL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Acft fell in Tennessee river after sustaining in-flight breakup iunderstorm.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.