Piper PA-38-112 accident near Merry Hill, North Carolina, December 16, 2011
On December 16, 2011 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9279T, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Merry Hill, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Operation of the airplane by a non-certificated pilot. Contributing to the accident was the non-certificated pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while making a forced landing following a total loss of engine power at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Also contributing was the pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2011 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Merry Hill, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9279T · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0315
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was maneuvering at a treetop level toward an open field when the engine stopped producing power. The airplane then descended at a steep angle over the approach end of the field and collided with terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly. The left fuel tank was selected on the fuel selector, and no fuel was found in the left tank. There was no odor of fuel, and no fuel staining present around the tank. The right fuel tank was also empty, but there was some fuel blighting of the vegetation beneath the right fuel cap. The pilot/owner did not hold a pilot certificate.
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 engine power (total) during maneuvering
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during emergency descent defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,847 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PMZ Plymouth NC at 4:20 pm
- Destination: Merry Hill NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from EDE, 16 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.