Piper PA-24-180 accident near Moontown, Alabama, April 19, 1992
On April 19, 1992 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N5112P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moontown, Alabama (Moontown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE REFERENCE AIRSPEED ON LANDING, IMPROPER USE OF THE WHEEL BRAKES, AND HIS DELAY IN EXECUTING AN ABORTED LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE WET RUNWAY SURFACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1992 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moontown, Alabama · Moontown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5112P · no longer on the register · serial 24-124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE 2400 FOOT LONG TURF RUNWAY WAS WET. WINDS WERE LIGHT & VARIABLE. AFTER LANDING, THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED & THE BRAKES APPLIED. THE AIRPLANE SLID FOR ABOUT 1000 FEET WITHOUT SLOWING. A GO-AROUND WAS BEGUN DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED TO 82 MPH, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A HIGH CLUMP OF HEDGES AT THE RUNWAY END, YAWED OUT OF CONTROL, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.
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: 286 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1992; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81J Destin FL at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,300 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from HSV, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.