Piper PA 28-180 accident near Defuniak Springs, Florida, August 26, 2015
On August 26, 2015 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA 28-180, registered N7215W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Defuniak Springs, Florida (Defuniak Springs 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion, and collision with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2015 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Defuniak Springs, Florida · Defuniak Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180 180, built 1963 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7215W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1029
- 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 during the landing roll it felt as if "air got under the wing." The airplane drifted to the left and departed the runway surface into the grass about 40 miles per hour. During the runway excursion, the pilot reported that he crossed over a parallel taxiway, the nose gear impacted a storm water ditch and collapsed. The firewall sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, the reported wind from the airport automated surface observing system about the time of the accident was 350 degrees true at 9 knots, which resulted in a 9 knot crosswind component. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 138 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,305 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southern Media Partners LLC
The flight
- Departed from: EBA Elberton GA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 54J Defuniak Springs FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 4,146 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KCEW, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.