Piper PA-28-181 accident near Tallahassee, Florida, December 23, 1997
On December 23, 1997 at about 11:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8074Z, was destroyed in an accident near Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Regional A/P airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath and adequate obstacle clearance which resulted in collision with a power transmission line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 1997 · about 11:14 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahassee, Florida · Tallahassee Regional A/P · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8074Z · registry record · serial 28-8090063
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was executing the ILS runway 36 approach when the airplane struck a 150 foot high power line, located about 2.5 miles south of the airport. The local air traffic controller stated that shortly after clearing the accident airplane to land, the tower had a power interruption which caused the radar to blink and get skewed. She then noticed the airplane's data block disappeared. Prior to the power outage, she had been looking out the window to check the weather conditions, and did not notice any problems with the airplane. The approach controller stated he did not notice anything unusual with the airplane after handing it off to the tower. He stated the airplane's altitude appeared normal, and he did not see it deviate from the localizer. According to the supervisor, he saw a low altitude alert for the airplane, which was followed shortly by the interruption of power to the building. He did not see the airplane make any lateral deviations from the localizer. The reported weather consisted of a 500 feet overcast and 3 miles visibility. Examination of the airplane did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction. The minimum altitude for the approach was 376 feet above the ground. A flight test of the ILS navigational facility did not disclose anomalies.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,575 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1997; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CSG Columbus GA at 8:40 pm
- Destination: TLH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 6,066 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:08 pm from TLH, 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.
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.