Piper PA-34 accident near Savannah, Georgia, August 25, 2009
On August 25, 2009 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-34, registered N47611, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah/ Hilton Head Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2009 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah/ Hilton Head Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34 200T · all PA-34s on the register
- Registration
- N47611 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7770418
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were returning to the airport for landing after practicing maneuvers. The student pilot was flying the airplane and after a normal approach, just prior to touchdown on the runway, he abruptly pulled back on the control yoke. The airplane climbed approximately 10 feet as the flight instructor assumed control and pushed the control yoke forward. The airplane subsequently landed hard, which resulted in damage to the nose gear, the right engine propeller, and the nose cone structure at the base of the windshield. The flight instructor further stated that he did not experience any flight control malfunctions and weather was not a factor during 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
- Abrupt maneuver during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: 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: 477 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 426 as pilot in command; 204 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 14, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,134 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 81 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 19, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 2009; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental LTSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Coastal Empire Flight Training LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: SAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SAV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.