Piper PA-28-180 accident near Hickory, North Carolina, December 8, 1990
On December 8, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9685J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hickory, North Carolina. 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 PILOTS'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING FLIGHT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hickory, North Carolina
- 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
- N9685J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD 'POW' AND REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE THAT WAS STRUNG ACROSS A RIVER. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE 'PULLED TO THE RIGHT' AFTER THE COLLISION, HOWEVER HE WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE TOP THIRD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND THE RUDDER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE POWER LINE WHICH WAS STRUCK WAS REPORTED TO BE ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT REALIZE THAT HE WAS FLYING SO LOW TO THE WATER. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE FAA BY ANONYMOUS SOURCES; THE PILOT HAD MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT.
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: 233 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NC58 Taylorsville NC at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:00 pm from HKY, 6 miles away
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.