Piper PA28R accident near Monroe, North Carolina, August 25, 2017
On August 25, 2017 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA28R, registered N3805T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Monroe, North Carolina (Charlotte-Monroe Executive airport). It was an instructional 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
A hard landing at an unknown time.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2017 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, North Carolina · Charlotte-Monroe Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R 180, built 1969 · all PA28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3805T · registry record · serial 28R-30119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a preflight inspection of the airplane, the flight instructor and the student pilot observed a small hole in the upper surface of the left wing and skin wrinkling on the upper and lower surfaces of the left wing. The airplane had been flown twice on the previous day. The first flight, which was in the morning, was conducted by the same flight instructor and student pilot who noticed the damage. They reported that no damage was present when they performed a postflight inspection of the airplane. The second flight, which was in the afternoon, was conducted by another pilot as a personal flight. That pilot did not notice the damage during his preflight inspection. However, the damage was visible in photographs taken by a passenger on that flight, both on the ground before departure and during takeoff. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left wing spar. The damage was consistent with a hard landing; however, the investigation could not determine when the damage occurred.
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 Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2017; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 2,000 hours total
- Operator: Pressley Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: EQY Monroe NC at 2:00 pm
- Destination: EQY Monroe NC
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KEQY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on October 29, 2019. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statement from Pilot of Previous Flight | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Correspondence from Pilot of Previous Flight | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Flight Log | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages | 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.