Piper PA-28-201T accident near Defuniak Springs, Florida, June 6, 2014
On June 6, 2014 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28-201T, registered N2890Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Defuniak Springs, Florida (Defuniak Springs 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 failure to maintain directional control in gusty wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2014 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Defuniak Springs, Florida · Defuniak Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-201T 201T, built 1979 · all PA-28-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2890Z · no longer on the register · serial 28-7921089
- 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, he was flying the airplane to a nearby airport for a maintenance inspection. On the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the pilot received current wind information from a pilot on the ground. He then configured the airplane to land and flew a "normal approach." During landing, the main landing gear touched down just past the displaced threshold while the airplane was travelling at 77 knots. The airplane "bounced" and, while in the air, the pilot held the airplane at a "normal landing attitude." The airplane was then "hit by a gust of wind" from the left and the airplane veered to the left, departed the runway, and continued over grass. The nose landing gear impacted a mound of dirt and collapsed. The airplane traveled a few hundred feet past the mound and eventually came to rest in a nose down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall and engine mounts. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that could 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 877.4 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 877.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 14, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,182 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,899 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 3,079 hours total
- Operator: Turbo D LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DTS Destin FL at 7:40 pm
- Destination: 54J Defuniak Springs FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,146 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CEW, 19 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.