Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Gray, Georgia, September 15, 1988
On September 15, 1988 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N32105, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gray, Georgia. 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
- September 15, 1988 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gray, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N32105 · registry record · serial 28R-7535025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT AFTER COMPLETING A STALL SERIES THE ENGINE BEGAN TO BACKFIRE CONTINOUSLY & POWER WAS LOST SO THAT HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WAS MADE AND A FENCE WAS HIT DURING THE LANDING ROLL. ENG HAD BEEN OVERHAULED & INSTALLED IN ACFT 36 HOURS PRIOR. FAA MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR DESCRIBED OVERHAUL AS GOOD. NO ENG MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN DONE SINCE ENG INSTALLED IN ACFT. ACFT WAS PARKED ON OUTSIDE RAMP. FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THE NUTS & LOCKWASHERS MISSING FROM THE NO. 3 CYLINDER VALVE ROCKER SHAFT HOLD DOWN PLATES WHICH ALLOWED THE EXHAUST ROCKER SHAFT TO BACK OUT OF THE CYLINDER AND THE INTAKE ROCKER SHAFT TO BACK OUT OF THE CYLINDER. RESULT WAS LOSS OF OPERATION OF THE NO. 3 CYLINDER & SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ALL REMAINING ROCKER SHAFT NUTS WERE TIGHT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,282 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 1,083 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,156 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1988; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAC Macon GA at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from MCN, 19 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N32105 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.