Piper PA-34-200 accident near Tifton, Georgia, March 27, 1992
On March 27, 1992 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N16209, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tifton, Georgia (Tift Myers airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND PROCEDURE, IN THAT HE FAILED TO RAISE THE FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR, AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1992 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tifton, Georgia · Tift Myers · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N16209 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING FLOWN FOR A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION. DURING THE FLIGHT THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF & COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. BOTH PILOTS RPTED THAT DURING THE ATTEMPTED SINGLE ENGINE LANDING, THE WIND SHIFTED FROM A QUARTERING HEAD WIND TO A QUARTERING TAIL WIND. THE NOSE & RIGHT WING DROPPED & THE AIRSPEED DECREASED TO VMC. A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND WAS BEGUN. CONTRARY TO THE FLT MANUAL GO-AROUND PROCEDURE, THE FLAPS & LANDING GEAR WERE NOT RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT BE CLIMBED OVER A TREE AT THE RUNWAY DEPARTURE END & IT HIT THE TREE. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INTO THE DEAD ENGINE & CRASHED INTO TREES IN A VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ENGINE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY OPERATED ON A TEST STAND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,953 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Clinton Aircraft Leasing
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,805 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 14 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from ABY, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.