Piper PA-18-150 accident near Bainbridge, Georgia, April 30, 1994
On April 30, 1994 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N6879B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bainbridge, Georgia (Bainbridge Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNSECURED REAR SEAT BACK WHICH FELL FORWARD AND JAMMED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1994 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bainbridge, Georgia · Bainbridge Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6879B · no longer on the register · serial 18-5065
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE PRACTICE LANDING AREA WHEN THE REAR SEAT BACK FELL FORWARD AND JAMMED THE FLIGHT CONTROL. THE STUDENT PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE CONTROLS BUT FAILED. HE CONTINUED THE APPROACH, TOUCHED DOWN IN THE LANDING AREA, AND COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT.
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: student
- Flight time: 91 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-2A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:58 pm from ABY, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6879B 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.