North American T-6G accident near Stockbridge, Georgia, April 2, 1988
On April 2, 1988 at about 4:23 pm local time, a North American T-6G, registered N9871C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stockbridge, Georgia (Berry Hill airport). It was a personal 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
- April 2, 1988 · about 4:23 pm local time
- Place
- Stockbridge, Georgia · Berry Hill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-6G · all T-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N9871C · registry record · serial 49-3030A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH THE LEFT WHEEL LOCKED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER DURING THE LDG ROLL. POST-CRASH EXAM REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL COULD NOT BE ROTATED IN THE FWD DIRECTION BY HAND, AND THAT IT COULD BE ROTATED AFT BY HAND ONLY WITH CONSIDERABLE EFFORT. THE WHEEL REMAINED LOCKED IN THE FWD DIRECTION AFTER THE HYD BRAKE LINE WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE LEFT BRAKE ASSY. DISASSEMBLY OF THE BRAKE ASSY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PLT INDICATED THAT BRAKE FLUID HAD LEAKED ONTO THE BRAKE SHOE CAUSING IT TO EXPAND AND LOCK THE WHEEL.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 255 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,043 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1987; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A0 at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N9871C 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.