Piper PA-28-180R accident near Carrollton, Georgia, July 9, 1982
On July 9, 1982 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180R, registered N7550J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrollton, Georgia. 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 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
- July 9, 1982 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Carrollton, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180R · all PA-28-180Rs on the register
- Registration
- N7550J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30925
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT SMELLED OIL FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE GOING TO ZERO AND THEN THE ENGINE FAILING. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD WHERE THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER CONTACTING A ROCK. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ALUMINUM PROPELLER GOVERNOR TUBE BETWEEN THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR AND THE PROPELLER HUB HAD CRACKED. THE STEEL CLAMP THAT SECURES THIS TUBE TO THE OIL PAN EXHIBITED WEAR SIMILAR TO THAT FOUND ON THE TUBE AND ITS RUBBER INSULATOR WAS WORN AND FOUND OUT OF POSITION. AN ANNUAL AND A 100 HOUR INSPECTION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ON 6/29/82.
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
- Flight time: 94 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ashville NC at 10:00 am
- Destination: Montgomery AL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 inHg
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.