Piper PA-38-112 accident near Hampton, Georgia, October 17, 1987
On October 17, 1987 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N91461, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hampton, Georgia (Henry Co./Bear Creek 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
- October 17, 1987 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hampton, Georgia · Henry Co./Bear Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N91461 · no longer on the register · serial 38-82A0035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI RPTD THAT THE STUDENT FLARED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 50 FT ABV THE RWY AND STALLED IT; THE AIRPLANE DROPPED TO THE RWY AND BOUNCED. HE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FROM THE STUDENT AND ATTEMPTED TO PREVENT A CROSSWIND FROM BLOWING THE AIRPLANE TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY IN SPITE OF HIS CORRECTIVE EFFORTS AND IMPACTED A TREE. THIS WAS THE CFI'S FIRST FLIGHT GIVING INSTRUCTION AFTER RECENTLY OBTAINING HIS INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION. HE HAD ABOUT 3 HRS TOTAL FLT EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL ACFT. THE STUDENT HAD 10 HRS TOTAL FLT EXPERIENCE, ALL OF WHICH WAS OBTAINED IN THIS MODEL ACFT. THE STUDENT HAD NOT YET SOLOED. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLACENT ABOUT THE STUDENT'S ABILITY TO HANDLE THE ACFT; THE STUDENT'S PREVIOUS INSTRUCTOR HAD INDICATED TO HIM EARLIER THAT THE STUDENT WAS SKILLFUL AT HANDLING THE AIRPLANE.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 287 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 144 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 29, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A7 at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,375 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°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.