Piper PA-28-140 accident near Griffin, Georgia, April 4, 2005
On April 4, 2005 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6651W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Griffin, Georgia (Griffin-Spalding County 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in an on-ground collision with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2005 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Griffin, Georgia · Griffin-Spalding County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6651W · registry record · serial 28-21277
- 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 was conducting touch and go landings on runway 32. During the landing roll, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane, and veered off the left side approximately 300 feet down from the approach end of the runway threshold. Post examination of the airplane revealed that it collided with a ditch, and the nosewheel was bent aft up towards the fuselage, and the left wing spar was buckled. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane.
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: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6A2 Griffin GA at 10:14 pm
- Destination: 6A2 Griffin GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:21 pm from KOPN, 16 miles away
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.