Piper PA28-140 accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, May 18, 2006
On May 18, 2006 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N9902W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Murphreesboro Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2006 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee · Murphreesboro Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9902W · registry record · serial 28-23422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he departed Smyrna, Tennessee, and flew direct to Murphreesboro, Tennessee. Upon arrival he listened to the Airport Terminal Information System information and observed the wind sock which indicated a right crosswind. The student pilot overflew the airport at midfield, descended, entered left traffic for runway 18, completed the before landing checklist, lowered flaps to one notch, and turned on the base leg. The student pilot turned the airplane on final approach, reduced airspeed, lowered flaps to the second notch, and entered right aileron for the crosswind correction. The power was reduced 30 feet from his intended touchdown point. The airplane touched down on the runway, and the cross wind correction was removed on landing roll out. The airplane veered to the right, the student pilot applied left rudder, and lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane turned 90-degrees, slid sideways off the side of the runway, and collided with a ditch coming to a complete stop. The student pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident, and he just lost directional control of 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,095 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2006; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Maxair Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KMQY Smyrna TN at 3:25 pm
- Destination: KMBT Murphreesboro TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,898 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KMQY, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL06CA081.