Piper PA-30-30 accident near Winder, Georgia, September 7, 2002
On September 7, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-30-30, registered N7817Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winder, Georgia (Winder-Barrow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll which resulted in the subsequent collision with an airport sign and the collapse of the main landing gear. the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winder, Georgia · Winder-Barrow · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30-30 · all PA-30-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7817Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-894
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Airplane bounced and porpoised two or three times on attempt to land. It then departed the runway to the left where it struck a metal runway sign and slid approximately 1000 ft from where it left the runway.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 866 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 505 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,268.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WDR Winder GA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: WDR Winder GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 050, 3,610 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 5:57 pm from WDR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.