Piper PA-28-180 accident near Athens, Georgia, December 6, 1995
On December 6, 1995 at about 1:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N180KH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Georgia (Athens/Ben Epps airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic's failure to adequately inspect and repair the engine, which resulted in engine oil contamination, and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the low ceiling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1995 · about 1:13 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Athens/Ben Epps · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N180KH · registry record · serial 28-3830
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, in instrument meteorological conditions, the engine quit. The pilot established an emergency descent, and received radar vectors to a nearby airport. Subsequently, the airplane collided with the ground one mile east of the airport. A post accident examination of the engine disclosed that the engine oil was contaminated with aluminum flakes, and several internal components were damaged. The number 3 piston pin was scored, and the cylinder wall was damaged. A review of the aircraft maintenance logs disclosed that six flight hours prior to the engine failure, aluminum flakes were discovered in the engine oil. According to the mechanic who repaired the engine, the number 2 and 4 cylinder piston pin caps were scored. The mechanic flushed the engine of the metal flakes and repaired the number 2 and 4 cylinders.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1995; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGC Lagrange GA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: SPA Spartenburg SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:25 pm from AHN, 1 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL96LA019.