Piper PA-46-310P accident near Clayton, Georgia, July 26, 2014
On July 26, 2014 at about 12:50 pm local time, a 1986 Piper PA-46-310P, registered N248SP, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Clayton, Georgia (Heaven'S Landing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to begin a flight with fog and low clouds present at the airport, which resulted in an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions immediately after takeoff and a controlled flight into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2014 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Clayton, Georgia · Heaven'S Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P, built 1986 · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N248SP · registry record · serial 46-8608024
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing the private, fly-in community airport on a personal flight. He was familiar with the airport/fly-in community and was instrumental in its development. Fog was present at the time, and, according to witnesses, it was "rolling up the valley," which was a frequent event at the airport. The witnesses observed the airplane lift off the runway, drift to the left, and disappear into the fog with the landing gear extended. They heard the engine running normally, with no change in sound, until the crash. They heard two distinct "booms" about 4 to 6 seconds apart. They ran down to the departure end of the runway to look for a crash site and could not see the wreckage or any smoke or fire due to the fog. The wreckage was located on elevated terrain in a heavily wooded area, about 1,500 feet north of the departure end of the runway. The elevation at the crash site was about 250 feet higher than the elevation at the departure end of runway. A swath through the treetops leading to the main wreckage was indicative of a near-level flight path at impact. An examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure. A review of the weather by a NTSB meteorologist revealed that the departure airport was at the edge of an area of low-topped clouds. Airport remarks included "Mountainous terrain all quadrants."
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during initial climb
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Decision related to condition
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Fog › Decision related to condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Fog › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Clouds › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all
- Last flight review: May 31, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,593 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 4,101 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BE (piston); 2,495 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GE99 Clayton GA at 12:50 pm
- Destination: ARR Aurora IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 05, 5,062 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from 1A5, 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.