Piper PA-28-235 accident near Adel, Georgia, September 26, 2000
On September 26, 2000 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N33735, was substantially damaged in an accident near Adel, Georgia (Cook County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of a closed runway for landing. Contributing factors were his inadequate inflight planning/decision and the wood block on the runway..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2000 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Adel, Georgia · Cook County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N33735 · registry record · serial 28-7510058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was low on fuel and he elected to divert into Adel, Georgia. Due to concerns about the fuel status, the pilot elected to land straight-in on runway 15. Runway 5 was the active runway, and runway 15 was marked closed. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with a wood block. During the examination of the airplane, all fuel tanks were found intact, and fuel was found in all four fuel tanks. No mechanical malfunctions were found during the engine examination of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,437 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2000; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AAS Campbellsville KY at 4:45 pm
- Destination: LAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from VAD, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.