Piper PA-30 accident near Jasper, Alabama, January 2, 2013
On January 2, 2013 at about 4:40 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7700Y, was destroyed in an accident during uncontrolled descent near Jasper, Alabama (Walker County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s poor judgment to take a multiengine airplane for which he did not have experience or permission to operate and depart into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2013 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Jasper, Alabama · Walker County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7700Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-785
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the airport manager, who was also a flight instructor, the student pilot had completed 10 hours of dual instruction in a single-engine airplane and completed three supervised solos. After the student pilot's third supervised solo, he discontinued his training with the airport manager and enrolled in a flight program at a community college. The airport manager did not know if the student pilot continued with his training. A review of the student pilot's records revealed that he had no entries or endorsements related to multiengine, night, or instrument flights. Instrument meteorological conditions existed on the night of the accident. An airport security video showed the accident airplane taxiing to the active runway. Shortly thereafter, the airplane's strobe lights can be seen reflecting off of the runway and then illuminating in the low clouds; the strobe lights then disappear from the camera's view. A witness in the area reported hearing an airplane flying low and then the sound of a loud crash. The witness subsequently contacted the local authorities, and the airplane was located 1 mile from the airport in a heavily wooded area. The airplane's owner reported that he had not given the student pilot permission to use the airplane. An examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Miscellaneous/other during uncontrolled descent defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Miscellaneous › Intentional act › Stolen/unauthorized › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Effect on personnel
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 0.1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320 SERIES (piston); 1,370 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320 SERIES (piston); 1,370 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFX Jasper AL at 4:35 am
- Destination: JFX Jasper AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from JFX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.