Piper PA28-151 accident near Tuxedo, North Carolina, December 21, 1984
On December 21, 1984 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA28-151, registered N32029, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tuxedo, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 21, 1984 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tuxedo, North Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-151 · all PA28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N32029 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7515047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RECENTLY CERTIFIED PRIVATE PLT WAS UNDER A VFR FLT PLAN AND CONTINUED THE FLT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE ACFT OUT OF THE LOW CEILING, IT WAS FLOWN INTO THE HIGH TERRAIN.
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: 48 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DNL Augusta GA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: AVL Asheville NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from AVL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.