Piper PA-32-300 accident near Calhoun, Georgia, May 5, 2003
On May 5, 2003 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N32038, was destroyed in an accident near Calhoun, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing, which would have indicated that MVFR to IFR conditions prevailed over the route with embedded thunderstorms and rain, and his decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the flight impacting terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2003 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Calhoun, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N32038 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7540010
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the preflight weather briefing, the pilot was advised numerous times about the adverse weather conditions along his route of travel. He was also advised that visual flight rules could not be maintained from Jacksboro, TN, to Rome, GA, and there were active tornado watches. The pilot stated that he would still be departing shortly after the phone call with the Anniston Flight Service Station. The flight was due back in Geneva, AL (where the trip originated) on May 5, 2003, approximately 1500 central daylight time but never arrived. The pilot made no reports of any mechanical or flight control anomalies during the flight. On May 5, 2003 the Civil Air Patrol initiated an air search, but postponed search activities due to inclement weather conditions. On May 8, 2003, the air search commenced, and at 1945 eastern daylight time air spotters located the wreckage site of the downed airplane. The air spotters circle the site until the ground crews arrived, and at 2330, the ground crews made a positive identification of the downed airplane. At the conclusion of the airframe, and engine examination, no evidence of flight control or mechanical malfunction was identified.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,980 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,147 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 2002; 347 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JAU Jacksboro TN at 5:00 pm
- Destination: GA77 Rome GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from TYS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.