Piper PA-28-140 accident near Suches, Georgia, March 6, 2005
On March 6, 2005 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7209J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Suches, Georgia (High Valley Airpark (Private) 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 premature liftoff and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush to the runway and subsequent collision with a fence during aborted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2005 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Suches, Georgia · High Valley Airpark (Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7209J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated the windsock showed little to no wind, the takeoff was performed with no flaps, and he held the brakes to allow the engine rpm to come up before initiating the takeoff roll. The pilot stated that the airplane's engine rpm and speed seemed "normal" during the takeoff roll. The pilot stated that the airplane lifted off the runway and climbed a few feet, then settled back onto the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff, reduced engine power, and applied the brakes. The airplane continued off the end of the runway and through a fence before coming to stop approximately 100 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction with the airplane. High Valley Airpark is a private grass airstrip approximately 2,000 feet long and 60 feet wide at an elevation of approximately 2,800 feet.
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: 159 hours in all; 110 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 24, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,597 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2004
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA87 Suches GA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: KS17 Graniteville SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from KDNN, 43 miles away
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.