Piper PA-28-161 accident near Pine Moutain, Georgia, November 26, 1982
On November 26, 1982 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8451R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pine Moutain, Georgia (Callaway Gardens airport). 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
- November 26, 1982 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Pine Moutain, Georgia · Callaway Gardens
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8451R · no longer on the register · serial 28-821603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DUE TO LOCAL WX CONDITIONS, THE ACFT WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS TO COLUMBUS, GA. ENROUTE TO COLUMBUS, THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND AT THE CALLAY GARDENS-HARRIS COUNTY ARPT. DURING FINAL APPROACH, HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT & STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. HE THEN ADDED FULL POWER & WAS ABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL LANDING.
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: 323 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 272 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 572 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6A2 Griffin GA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 4A7 Hampton GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.