Piper PA-28-180 accident near Birmingham, AL
On September 27, 1996, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Birmingham, AL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 27, 1996
- Place
- Birmingham, AL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.619°N, 86.650°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06784
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 26, 1996, about 2314 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N8803J, registered to Guilford Air Service, crashed while on approach to the Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR Flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot and pilot-rated front seat passenger were seriously injured. A rear seat passenger was fatally injured. The flight originated about 1953 eastern daylight time from the Air Harbor Airport, Greensboro, North Carolina. The pilot-in-command stated that the fuel tanks were full and the flight departed VFR then about 3 minutes after takeoff, he obtained his IFR clearance. He has no recollection of the second half of the flight. According to a summary of communications with the Greensboro, North Carolina Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at 1956, the pilot called and requested his IFR clearance. The pilot was advised to proceed northbound and radar vectors were given to the BZM V222 airway from the Barretts Mountain VOR, then as filed in the flight plan. After departure the flight was cleared to climb to the IFR requested altitude of 8,000 feet then to 10,000 feet at the request of the pilot. The flight continued and descended to 8,000 feet then while in contact with the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center, at about the midpoint of the flight, the pilot requested a descent to 6,000 feet, which was granted. Air Traffic Control was transferred to Birmingham Approa
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command's improper in-flight planning/decision for electing to continue the flight after observing that the fuel gauges indicated empty. Contributing to the accident was an improperly adjusted economizer jet and an out of adjustment float. Also contributing to the accident was unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.
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Browse: Alabama · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
