Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Cullman, Alabama, October 9, 2002
On October 9, 2002 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N22DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cullman, Alabama (Folsom Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command's (CFI) delayed remedial action, and improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a hard landing, and impact with a parked airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2002 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cullman, Alabama · Folsom Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N22DB · registry record · serial 28R-35105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a touch-and-go landing with the student at the controls, the CFI stated that the student "over flared" causing the airplane to climb and slow down. The CFI told the student to add power, and the student added too much causing the airplane to climb a little more. The CFI took over control of the airplane, added full power to the engine, but said he was too slow in "reducing flaps." The airplane did not accelerate or climb, so the CFI reduced the flaps to the second notch, but was unable to recover. He reduced power to idle, the airplane contacted the ground two or three times, went through the infield between the runway and taxiway, struck a parked airplane with the left wing, and went down into a gully.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,497 hours in all; 90 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3A1 Cullman AL at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KHSV, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA03LA004.