Piper PA32-301FT accident near Brevard, North Carolina, July 16, 2012
On July 16, 2012 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA32-301FT, registered N813TC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Brevard, North Carolina (Transylvania County Airport). 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 pilot’s failure to execute a go-around following an approach that was high and fast, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2012 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Brevard, North Carolina · Transylvania County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32-301FT · all PA32-301FTs on the register
- Registration
- N813TC · no longer on the register · serial 3232045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to land, the pilot noticed a tree that was located near the end of the runway. To avoid the tree, he “stayed high” until he cleared the approach end of the runway and then attempted to “drop quickly” to the field. The airplane touched down on the left main landing gear roughly 2,000 feet beyond the threshold of the 2,900-foot-long runway, and the pilot applied the brakes. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it overran the runway. The right main landing gear struck an airport sign, and the airplane came to rest in brambles 100 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane’s firewall was substantially damaged. During the examination, no evidence of any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation was discovered. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that, after the accident, he discovered that the tree he had attempted to avoid was actually located to the right of the runway.
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) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 860 hours in all; 715 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 860 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 17, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 906 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLYH Lynchburg VA
- Destination: 3NR3 Brevard NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 2,903 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 336° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:10 pm from KAVL, 11 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.