Piper PA-20 accident near Calhoun, Georgia, June 30, 1996
On June 30, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N7685K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Calhoun, Georgia (Tom B. David airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Calhoun, Georgia · Tom B. David · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7685K · no longer on the register · serial 20-507
- 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 on landing rollout the tail wheel started to vibrate. The airplane veered to the left off the side of the runway, and the landing gear and left wing collided with the terrain. Examination of the tail wheel steering system revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,501 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,307 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CZL at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,609 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from PDK, 35 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.
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.