Piper PA28 accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, May 9, 2019
On May 9, 2019 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA28, registered N7855W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Charlotte, North Carolina (Wilgrove Air Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper attempted go-around and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall followed by a hard landing, runway excursion, and impact with vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2019 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Wilgrove Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 180, built 1964 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N7855W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1875
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during landing on a 40-ft-wide runway, a wind gust pushed the airplane left of the centerline. While correcting back to centerline, the flight instructor told the student that the airplane was slow, so the student added power. While on short final, the instructor told the student to initiate a go-around and to "go full power." While initiating a climb, the student heard the stall warning horn, and the instructor told him to "get the nose down." As the student lowered the nose, he felt a hard "bump" as the airplane touched down on the runway. The airplane veered left off the runway, struck vegetation, and spun around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 approach (VFR pattern final)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,202 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 32.5 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,408 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 8, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 124.6 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,302 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 8, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 3,266 hours total
- Operator: Alpha One Air Service, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: EQY Monroe NC at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 8A6 Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,835 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from KJQF, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 2, 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 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.