Piper PA-38-112 accident near Gainesville, Georgia, February 17, 1988
On February 17, 1988 at about 2:20 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9265T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gainesville, Georgia (Lee Gilmer Memorial 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1988 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Georgia · Lee Gilmer Memorial
- 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
- N9265T · registry record · serial PA-38-112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPTD THAT HE INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DESCEND BELOW THE VASI GLIDEPATH WHILE ON SHORT-FINAL, AND THAT HE FAILED TO REACT IN TIME TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED AN EMBANKMENT SHORT OF THE RWY THRESHOLD, IN A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE HAD 'FIXATED' ON THE RWY THRESHOLD LIGHTS DURING THE NIGHTTIME APPCH, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO DETECT THE DESCENT BELOW THE GLIDEPATH.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 327 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 298 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1987; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Old South Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA
- Destination: GVL Gainesville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL88LA091.