Piper PA-23-250 accident near Auburn, Alabama, June 5, 1982
On June 5, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N1AU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Alabama (Robert G. Pitts airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Alabama · Robert G. Pitts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N1AU · registry record · serial 27-3586
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A DOWNWIND FOR A LANDING IN MULTI-ENGINE TRAINING, THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. ALL EFFORTS TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR, INCLUDING A BOUNCED LANDING, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCREW INTENDED TO LAND ON THE MAIN GEAR AND THEN HOLD THE NOSE OFF UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED. THE MULTI-ENGINE INSTRUCTOR (IP), WHO OCCUPIED THE RIGHT SEAT, ESTABLISHED THE AIRCRAFT ON A STRAIGHT-IN FINAL APPROACH WITH 1/2 FLAPS AND ZERO THRUST (10 IN HG) ON BOTH ENGINES. WHILE STILL AIRBORNE, THE IP COMMANDED THE STUDENT (A SINGLE-ENGINE IP) TO FEATHER BOTH PROPELLERS AND SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES. IMMEDIATELY THE RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED AND THE PLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON AN EMBANKMENT ABOUT 45 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLANE BOUNCED, AND AFTER A SECOND TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE CONTACTED THE RUNWAY ABOUT 55 FT BEYOND THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A ROCKING NUT WHICH RETAINED THE NOSEWHEEL, WAS MISSING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD UNDERGONE A 100 HR INSPECTION ABOUT 8 HOURS PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,825 hours in all; 821 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 2,689 as pilot in command; 1,757 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,354 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Auburn University Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AUO Auburn AL at 10:00 am
- Destination: AUO Auburn AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,945 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.