Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, December 30, 1995
On December 30, 1995 at about 8:29 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N7676J, was destroyed in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, loss of altitude, and subsequent collision with obstructions (utility pole and supporting cable).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1995 · about 8:29 am local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7676J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-31076
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an attempt to make a night landing at an unfamiliar airport, the pilot '...saw only blue lights...' and decided to execute a go-around. He added full throttle, but did not retract the landing gear. He said that he did not remember having any flaps down. The pilot reported that he entered a left turn and '...pulled too far aft on the yoke.' The pilot stated that he saw the stall warning light come on and felt the left wing drop. In his attempt to recover, the pilot pushed forward on the yoke to increase the airspeed. After lowering the nose of the airplane, the pilot saw obstruction(s) ahead, but was unable to avoid colliding with a utility pole and a supporting guide cable. The pilot stated that he had no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to impact. Postaccident examination of the damaged airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 183 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,541 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 18, 1995; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviators Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: TLH Tallahassee FL at 4:30 am
- Destination: LOU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,312 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 am from LOU
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.