Piper PA-23-160 accident near Columbus, Georgia, July 20, 1994
On July 20, 1994 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4482P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Georgia (Columbus Metropolitan airport). It was an instructional 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 DUAL STUDENT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL STUDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1994 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Georgia · Columbus Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4482P · no longer on the register · serial 23-2004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DUAL STUDENT (A PRIVATE PILOT WITH SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING) WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT DUSK, WITH A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE RIGHT SEAT. DURING THE LAST LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE MAIN SPARS WERE BENT BEYOND REPAIR, FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM BOTH ENGINE GASCOLATORS, WING SKIN WAS WRINKLED, AND THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER WAS JARRED FROM ITS MOUNT AND HAD ACTIVATED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,450 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,240 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1994; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 6,998 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.