Socata TB 9 TAMPI accident near Milner, Georgia, September 8, 2009
On September 8, 2009 at about 7:37 pm local time, a Socata TB 9 TAMPI, registered N135ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Milner, Georgia. 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 failure of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2009 · about 7:37 pm local time
- Place
- Milner, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB 9 TAMPI · all TB 9 TAMPIs on the register
- Registration
- N135ER · no longer on the register · serial 1525
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff the flight proceeded toward the destination airport. While in a descent between 7,000 and 6,500 feet msl, the engine began to vibrate and shake. The pilot continued toward the destination airport and reduced power to 2,000 rpm, but the vibrating/shaking continued. The pilot slowly reduced the power to idle, and after recognizing that he would be unable to land at the airport, he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field. He realized that the flight was too high to land in the first field, and he maneuvered the airplane toward a second field. He secured the engine about 100 feet above ground level (agl), and lowered full flaps. While descending through 20 feet agl, the airplane collided with the tops of pine trees. The airplane then impacted the ground and came to rest upright. Examination of the engine revealed the exhaust valve of the No. 3 cylinder was missing and not recovered. The top of the No. 3 piston exhibited heavy impact damage associated with the broken exhaust valve. The No. 3 cylinder had accumulated approximately 1,918 hours since overhaul at 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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 187 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 149 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 19, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,984 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2008; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,337 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EZM Eastman GA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 6A2 Griffin GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FFC, 18 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.