Piper PA-28-161 accident near Providence, Rhode Island, July 4, 2002
On July 4, 2002 at about 12:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8081G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Providence, Rhode Island (T.F. Green State Airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2002 · about 12:05 pm local time
- Place
- Providence, Rhode Island · T.F. Green State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8081G · registry record · serial 28-8016053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the student pilot's landing, the airplane skidded off the left side of the runway. Winds were 70 degrees from the right, at 7 knots. The airplane had no mechanical anomalies.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,269 hours
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0302-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY
- Destination: PVD Providence RI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23L, 7,166 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from PVD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.