Piper PA28 accident near Blairsville, Georgia, December 20, 2018
On December 20, 2018, a 1976 Piper PA28, registered N6143J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Blairsville, Georgia (Blairsville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during a visual approach for landing in night visual meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience flying at night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2018
- Place
- Blairsville, Georgia · Blairsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 181, built 1976 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N6143J · no longer on the register · serial 28-7690352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was approaching the airport for landing following a local personal flight in night visual meteorological conditions when the airplane impacted 60 to 70-ft-tall trees about 1/2 mile from the end of the runway. Although the runway lights were illuminated at the time of the accident, the runway was not equipped with a precision approach path indicator (PAPI) or visual approach slope indicator (VASI) light system. Examination of the airplane and the engine did not reveal any preaccident mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that the pilot had not flown at night in just over four months preceding the accident. It is likely that, in the absence of a PAPI or VASI system by which to judge the airplane's approach path, the sparsely-lit terrain off the approach end of the runway may have created an illusion that resulted in the pilot's descent into terrain short of the runway.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 822.9 hours in all; 752.5 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 778 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 19, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,481.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2017; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 403 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DZJ Blairsville GA at 11:53 pm
- Destination: DZJ Blairsville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
13 documents, released by the NTSB on June 12, 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 | NTSB Record of Conversation - Passenger | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Record of Conversation - Witness 1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Passenger Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | NTSB GPS Factual Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 7 | GPS Tabular Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 8 | RNAV GPS Rwy 8 Approach Plate | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Airport Manager Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 13 | Pages from Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B) Chapter 10 | PDF, 3 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.