Piper PA-34-200T accident near Tallahasee, Florida, October 24, 2008
On October 24, 2008 at about 5:29 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N34LM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tallahasee, Florida (Tallahasse Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after touchdown. Contributing to the accident were the gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2008 · about 5:29 pm local time
- Place
- Tallahasee, Florida · Tallahasse Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N34LM · registry record · serial 34-7770133
- 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 airplane stated that he was flying the global-positioning-system approach for runway 9, when the active runway was changed to runway 27. He then flew the instrument-landing-system approach for runway 27, using left crosswind correction. After touchdown, while on centerline, a microburst "lifted the airplane in the air and slammed it down," compressing the nose strut and resulting in a subsequent propeller strike. Approximately 35 minutes before the accident, the winds were reported from 130 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. No microburst or windshear activity was reported by the control tower at the time of the accident. The pilot did not report the accident until he tried to obtain a ferry permit about 2 months later.
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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,575 hours in all; 358 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 11,076 as pilot in command; 1,260 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 2, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lima Mike LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Pembroke Pines FL
- Destination: KTLH Tallahasee FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from TLH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.