Piper PA-28-180 accident near Peachtree City, Georgia, January 2, 2006
On January 2, 2006 at about 1:07 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N2169T, was destroyed in an accident near Peachtree City, Georgia (Peachtree City-Falcon Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude while performing an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2006 · about 1:07 am local time
- Place
- Peachtree City, Georgia · Peachtree City-Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2169T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7205019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot requested the localizer 10-approach to the Macon Downtown Airport, Macon, Georgia (MAC). The pilot was radar vectored to intercept the localizer, and cleared for the localizer 10-approach. Shortly thereafter, the pilot advised approach control that he had over flown the localizer. The approach control specialist issued vectors back to the localizer, and he was cleared for another localizer 10-approach. The pilot reported to approach control that he was having trouble staying on the localizer, and requested to go to the Middle Georgia Airport, Macon, Georgia (MCN). He was subsequently cleared for the ILS runway 5-approach to MCN. The MCN tower advised approach control that the pilot had panicked during his approach, and went missed approach. The pilot contacted the MCN tower, reported that he had lost the localizer, and requested if he could be taken around to do the approach again. He was issued radar vectors back to the ILS runway 5-approach, and about one-half mile from the approach, the pilot requested to come around for another approach after drifting off course. The pilot made two more attempts to land at MCN before being radar vectored to the Peachtree City Airport-Falcon (FFC) localizer 31-approach. During the approach into FFC, radar contact was lost with the airplane. The airplane had collided with trees about 1 mile from the approach end of runway 31. Postcrash examination of the aircraft structure, flight controls, systems, engine, and propeller showed no anomalies. The pilot received his instrument rating less than 6 months before the accident, and had accumulated 17.1 total hours of actual instrument flight time. He had 133 hours of simulated instrument flight hours.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 437 hours in all; 2 in the last 30 days; 299 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,071.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2005; 2,008.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRG Jacksonville FL at 8:36 pm
- Destination: MAC Macon GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 5,220 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
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.