Piper PA-28-180 accident near Dawsonville, GA
On January 13, 2023, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Dawsonville, GA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 13, 2023
- Place
- Dawsonville, GA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.361°N, 84.137°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230113106575
Official records · ERA23FA109
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn January 12, 2023, about 2017 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N4254T, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Dawsonville, Georgia. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to flight track records, on January 6, 2023, the pilot departed his home airport of Stafford Regional Airport (RMN), Stafford, Virginia, and arrived at the Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (JQF), Concord, North Carolina. On January 8, 2023, he departed JQF and arrived at the Cherokee County Regional Airport (CNI), Canton, Georgia. The purpose of the trip was work-related meetings. According to fixed base-operator (FBO) personnel at CNI, about 1600 on the day of the accident the pilot arrived at the airport via rental car and requested that his airplane be fueled. The FBO personnel were unable to do so at that time due to heavy rain and lightning nearby. FBO personnel reported that they had a discussion with the pilot on his plan to take off in poor weather and fly at night. The pilot stated that “after the rain passes it should be fine right?” The pilot further stated that he had an international flight scheduled to Europe the following day from the Washington, DC, area and wanted to leave as soon as possible. The staff reported that after further discussion, the pilot agreed for them to book him a hotel in the area. The staff also provided the code to the airport gate should he want to arrive in the morning before the FBO opened. The pilot subsequently left the airport
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to initiate a visual flight rules flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in a loss of control in-flight due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of qualifications and experience in night instrument meteorological conditions.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
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Browse: Georgia · 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.
