Piper PA-28-180 accident near Talladega, Alabama, September 29, 2003
On September 29, 2003 at about 1:39 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N2342T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talladega, Alabama (Talladega Muni 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 use carburetor heat when weather conditions were favorable for carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2003 · about 1:39 am local time
- Place
- Talladega, Alabama · Talladega Muni · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2342T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7105211
- 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, he had been taxiing for an hour and a half at idle speed. He was cleared for takeoff, but the takeoff acceleration seemed "sluggish". During the climb out the engine miss fired, the airplane climbed approximately 200 feet, and the engine lost power. The airplane landed on runway 21 and rolled off the overrun. Examination of the airplane revealed spar damage to the left and right wing assemblies. The fuselage was buckled and the main landing gear was sheared off. All flight control surfaces were examined and found to be operating correctly. A run up of the engine was conducted, and the engine attained 800 rpm. Review of the Piper Cherokee pilot's operating handbook, section: Warm-up and Ground Check, (Carburetor heat should also be checked prior to take-off to be sure that the control is operating properly, and to clear any ice which may have formed during taxiing). A review of weather data, at the time of the accident, disclosed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. The pilot did not report checking carburetor heat following the long period of ground operation.
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: 132 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2003; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASN Talladega AL at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 2:14 am from ANB
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.