Piper PA-28-161 accident near Griffin, Georgia, July 14, 2006
On July 14, 2006 at about 12:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N546CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Griffin, Georgia (Griffin-Spalding County 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain direction control of the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2006 · about 12:43 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-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N546CA · registry record · serial 28-7816657
- 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 this was his second solo flight, and he planned on staying in the pattern to perform a full stop landing. On short final the student pilot lined up the airplane with the centerline on the runway. As the airplane touched down, it veered to right, and the pilot over corrected to the left. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, and the student pilot panicked and added power. The airplane overran the taxiway, and collided with a hangar. The student pilot did not report any 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,280.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6A2 Griffin GA at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,701 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:40 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.