Piper PA-20 accident near Albertville, Alabama, October 19, 2008
On October 19, 2008 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N7324K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Albertville, Alabama (Albertville Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 of the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2008 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Albertville, Alabama · Albertville Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7324K · registry record · serial 20-230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Piper PA-20 airplane was performing touch and go operations during visual meteorological conditions. After two touch and go landings without incident, a third landing was accomplished. The pilot reported the approach and landing procedures “occurred normally” during the third landing and he completed a three point landing with light and variable crosswinds. Between take-off and landing, wind direction had shifted approximately 180 degrees. After landing, during rollout, the aircraft abruptly turned to the left and began skidding sideways on runway. The pilot applied right rudder and left brake. As the airplane turned 90 degrees to the left, the right landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported the ground speed when accident happened was approximately 35 mile per hour. The aircraft came to rest off the edge of the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 68 hours in all; 11 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K8A0 Albertville AL at 5:40 pm
- Destination: K8A0 Albertville AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,114 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: vv; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from K8A0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.