Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A accident near Williamson, Georgia, November 15, 2014
On November 15, 2014 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1945 Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A, registered N28681, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Williamson, Georgia (Peach State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at an insufficient altitude to fully recover before collision with obstacles and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2014 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Williamson, Georgia · Peach State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A, built 1945 · all TIGER MOTH DH 82As on the register
- Registration
- N28681 · no longer on the register · serial PG621-81
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane's engine power and performance were "good," and the airplane demonstrated its "gentle" handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree banking turns. The airplane crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude and then entered a vertical, nose-down descent. The pilot reported that he could not recall how the airplane transitioned from level flight to a nose-down descent. However, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain airspeed and that the airplane exceeded its critical angle-of-attack. During the descent, the pilot held the control stick fully aft, and the elevator gained enough authority to allow him to level the airplane just above ground level as he flew it between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright. The pilot said that, once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority. He reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,360 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,749 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2014; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,825 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Dehav Eng GIPSY MAJOR (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA2 Williamson GA
- Destination: GA2 Williamson GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from 6A2, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N28681 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA15LA052.