Piper PA-38-112 accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, March 6, 1983
On March 6, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2528N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina (Wilgrove Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- March 6, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Wilgrove Airpark
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2528N · no longer on the register · serial 7103812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN DOING AIRWORK FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND RETURNED FOR TOUCH AND GO LANDING. AFTER SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL LANDINGS HE MADE ANOTHER APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE AND TOUCHED DOWN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND PORPOISED AND VEERED LEFT. THE PILOT DID NOT TRY TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY BUT CONTINUED ON AND THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,545 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,212 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from CLT, 13 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2528N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.