Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Rogersville, Tennessee, March 4, 2003
On March 4, 2003 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N4135Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rogersville, Tennessee (Hawkins County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2003 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Rogersville, Tennessee · Hawkins County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4135Q · registry record · serial 32R-7780329
- 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 purpose of the flight was to practice flight maneuvers for an upcoming commercial check ride. While practicing a power-off 180-degree precision landing to runway 25, the landing gear collapsed during touchdown. The airplane skidded about 300 feet on the runway surface and continued off the left side of the runway into the grass. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the landing.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 392 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,612.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2002; 99.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Bristol TN at 9:30 pm
- Destination: RVN Rogersville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,502 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from TRI, 120 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.