Piper PA-28-180 accident near Savannah, Georgia, October 7, 1988
On October 7, 1988 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7769N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah Intl 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).
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 7, 1988 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7769N · registry record · serial 28 5216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING WITH A LEFT X-WIND, THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT & WENT OFF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED IN SOFT TERRAIN. THE PLT THOUGHT TOWER PERSONNEL HAD TOLD HIM THE WIND WAS FROM 030 DEG AT 9 KTS. A CHECK OF THE TRANSCRIPT REVEALED THAT JUST BEFORE LANDING, THE PLT WAS TOLD THE WIND WAS FROM 350 DEG AT 12 KTS. THE 1353 EDT WIND AT SAVANNAH WAS FROM 040 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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: 529 hours in all; 314 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 473 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKV Brooksville FL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: SAV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 9,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from SAV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.