Piper PA-12 accident near Elberton, Georgia, February 11, 2007
On February 11, 2007 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2335M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elberton, Georgia (Elbert County-Patz Field). 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 passenger's inadvertent application of the left brake during landing roll, which resulted in a swerve to the left and impact with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2007 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Elberton, Georgia · Elbert County-Patz Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2335M · no longer on the register · serial 12-1400
- 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, "Upon landing, [the] rear passenger had [his] foot on the brake causing [the] aircraft to dart to the left." The pilot further stated that he could not overcome the braking action with the rudder. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with trees. Examination of the left wheel assembly revealed no binding or operational abnormalities with the left brake. There were no other mechanical problems reported by the pilot, or discovered during the postaccident examination 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,484 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,324 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,830.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRD Greenwood SC at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 27A Elberton GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from AND, 24 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.