Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Wrightsville, Georgia, May 18, 2008
On May 18, 2008 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4553J, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Wrightsville, Georgia (The Farm 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 control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the gusty winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2008 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wrightsville, Georgia · The Farm Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4553J · no longer on the register · serial 30414
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was taking off on a personal cross country flight when a gust of wind caught the airplane, forcing the nose up. The pilot pushed the nose down and the airplane impacted the ground along side the runway, causing substantial damage. The pilot reported winds were 10 knots gusting to 30 knots. A weather reporting station 45 miles away reported that the winds were from 270 degrees magnetic at 10 knots gusting to 21 knots about the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,550 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,440 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 23, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2008; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 01GE Wrightsville GA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: VPC Cartersville GA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 28, 2,560 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMCN, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.