Piper PA-32RT-300T incident near Fayetteville, North Carolina, October 25, 2003
On October 25, 2003 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registered N39541, suffered minor damage in an incident near Fayetteville, North Carolina (Fayetteville Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Flight control elevator attachment turnbuckle corrosion and fracture resulting in the loss of aircraft control in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2003 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, North Carolina · Fayetteville Regional · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300T · all PA-32RT-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N39541 · registry record · serial 32R7887104
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot after liftoff the elevator flight control became unresponsive and he could only control pitch with the elevator trim. The pilot flew to Fayetteville Regional Airport where he requested the longest runway for an emergency landing. During the landing flare, the nose dropped when the pilot reduced engine power, and the nose wheel collided with the runway and collapsed. Examination of the airframe revealed that the left elevator cable assembly turnbuckle was corroded and fractured. A review of maintenance records showed that the failed assembly had a total time of 2,633 hours and had been in service for 25 years
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: 5,100 hours in all; 4,800 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 5,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,630 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2003; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-51AO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26C Fayetteville NC at 3:10 pm
- Destination: FAY Fayetteville NC
- Runway 4, 7,204 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 3:27 pm from FAY
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.