Piper PA-28-161 accident near Raleigh, North Carolina, December 30, 2011
On December 30, 2011 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8330S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Raleigh, North Carolina (Triple W 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 loss of directional control while landing in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2011 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Raleigh, North Carolina · Triple W Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8330S · no longer on the register · serial 28-8116144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane encountered a gust of wind at the start of the landing flare, and the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. The airplane touched down, and during the landing roll, the left main landing gear departed the left side of the runway. The pilot unsuccessfully attempted to control the airplane with rudder input, but the left wing struck a tree, and the airplane veered to the left and came to rest in mud, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The wind recorded at an airport 14 miles to the south about the time of the accident, was from 200 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The pilot reported there were no preexisting 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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 19, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,821 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chapel Hill Flying Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: TTA Sanford NC
- Destination: 5W5 Raleigh NC
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 16, 3,004 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from HRG, 14 miles away
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.