Piper PA-32-300 accident near Lapine, Alabama, January 12, 2008
On January 12, 2008 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N84JC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lapine, Alabama (T W Spear Memorial 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 attain the proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2008 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lapine, Alabama · T W Spear Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N84JC · registry record · serial 32-7540068
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as he approached 4AL9, he noticed some trees about 800 feet from the approach end of runway 4. He said that the trees scared him, and therefore he purposely came in higher. He said he lowered the nose of the airplane and gained airspeed to110 knots. He reduced power, and landed long with only 800 feet remaining on the runway. He said that he was unable to conduct a go-around so he applied the brakes and steered the airplane into a thicket of trees.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 102 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2007; 1,530 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOI Troy AL at 7:55 pm
- Destination: 4AL9 Lapine AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,909 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from KTOI, 16 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.