Piper PA28 accident near Thomaston, Georgia, July 4, 2018
On July 4, 2018 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA28, registered N8314W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Thomaston, Georgia (Thomaston-Upson County 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
A landing gear axle nut being pulled from the threads of the axle rod at an unknown time, which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2018 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thomaston, Georgia · Thomaston-Upson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 180, built 1965 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N8314W · registry record · serial 28-2487
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed a preflight inspection with no anomalies noted before the cross-country flight. He made a full-stop landing at an airport before flying to the destination airport. He configured the airplane for final approach. The main landing gear touched down, but when the nose landing gear contacted the runway, the airplane veered left. The pilot attempted to counteract the turn by applying rudder; however, the airplane continued to the left side of the runway. The right wing tip touched the pavement, the propeller struck the runway, and the nose landing gear wheel separated as the airplane continued off the runway. The airplane came to rest about 75 ft off the left side of the runway in a grassy area. The rod that attached the nosewheel to the nosewheel assembly remained connected to the nose landing gear fork; however, the rod was bent, and one of the nuts that secured the nosewheel to the rod was missing. Further examination revealed that the rod was threaded on both ends; one end had a nut attached, while the other end had bare threads that had been deformed in a manner consistent with the nut having been pulled off the threads. The missing nut was not located on the runway. The airplane had landed over 250 times between the most recent annual inspection and the accident. The location of the missing nut could not be seen during the preflight inspection because the area is covered by the wheel fairing. It could not be determined when the nut was pulled from the axle rod.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 75 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 69.8 in the last 90 days; 40.5 in the last 30 days; 39.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,599.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6A2 Griffin GA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: OPN Thomaston GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from OPN
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 June 15, 2020. 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 | Pilot Interview Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Airframe Maintenance Log Excerpts | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Materials Lab Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Evidence Control Form - Nose Wheel Bolt Assembly | 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.