Piper PA-32-300 accident near Sylvania, Georgia, February 26, 2003
On February 26, 2003 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N54406, was destroyed in an accident near Sylvania, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to conduct VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance. Related factors were the guy wire and the fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2003 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sylvania, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N54406 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7440050
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed with fog, no flight plan was filed, and the pilot was not instrument rated. A witness in the vicinity of the accident site reported that he saw the airplane clip a Comcast television tower, then saw parts falling off. He said it came across the road and in front of him. Then it nose-dived into the ground and exploded. Wreckage debris was located in a wooded grass area near the tower. Examination of the wreckage disclosed that one propeller blade displayed leading edge saw tooth nicks and gouges and was bent and twisted aft approximately 50-degrees. The other propeller blade was bent aft approximately 70-degrees from the hub. Further examination of the right wing assembly disclosed about a two foot wide section of the wing was found separated into two-pieces, and found near the base of the tower. The separation area was cut uniformly from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing and continuing through the two feet wide center section of the aileron. Witnesses also stated that the visibility in the area was poor do to foggy conditions. Local authorities also confirmed that when they arrived on-scene it was very foggy and visibility was extremely poor. The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Bulloch County Airport in Statesboro, Georgia, recorded at 1202, were winds from 110-degrees at 4 knots; 4 statue miles of visibility with overcast at 600-feet. Temperature was reported at 15-degrees Celsius, dew point 12-degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.07. According to a weather depiction chart recorded at 1600Z, Sylvania, Georgia and the surrounding area reported instrument weather conditions with ceilings less than 1,000 feet and or visibility less than 3 miles.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 950 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown FL
- Destination: Unkown
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:02 pm from TBR, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.