Piper PA-32-301 accident near Valdosta, Georgia, February 2, 2015
On February 2, 2015 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1983 Piper PA-32-301, registered N42993, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Valdosta, Georgia (Valdosta Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 compensate for gusty wind conditions during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 2015 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Valdosta, Georgia · Valdosta Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301, built 1983 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N42993 · registry record · serial 32-8306025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing the airplane in turbulent conditions with gusting wind. He stated that during the landing flare, the airplane encountered an updraft, followed immediately by a downdraft. The airplane subsequently impacted the runway and the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Review of archived weather information for the accident airport about the time of the accident revealed variable wind at 9 knots with gusts to 19 knots.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 353 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 15, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 K1G5 (piston); 165 hours total
- Operator: Bc Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GPT Gulfport MS at 3:00 pm
- Destination: VLD Valdosta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 8,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from VLD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 17, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record – Vld Metars | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1 – Airplane as It Came to Rest (Courtesy of Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.