Piper PA-28-180 accident near Jackson, Tennessee, October 20, 2023
On October 20, 2023 at about 8:53 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA-28-180, registered N9101J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Jackson, Tennessee (Mc Kellar-Sipes Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2023 · about 8:53 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Tennessee · Mc Kellar-Sipes Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 NO SERIES, built 1966 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9101J · registry record · serial 28-3143
- 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 following a cross-country flight, on the first approach to land he performed a go-around due to gusting wind and an unstable approach. During the second approach to the same runway, the pilot reported that the approach was stable, however, near the runway threshold the airplane began sinking and impacted the runway with all three wheels at once. Subsequently, the airplane immediately veered to the left off the runway despite the pilot’s attempt to apply wheel brakes and maintain directional control. During the runway excursion, the nose landing gear collapsed which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 16, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Old School Aircraft LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SIK Sikeston MO at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 3,539 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 4:06 pm from MKL
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KMKL 202106Z 31011G19KT 10SM CLR 24/08 A2979 RMK AO2 T02440078=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 22, 2024. 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 | Memorandum for Record (FAA Inspector) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record (Mechanic) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Video of Accident Landing | video | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA24LA020.