Piper PA-28-140 accident near Brilliant, Alabama, January 1, 1993
On January 1, 1993 at about 2:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8205N, was destroyed in an accident near Brilliant, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT WAS OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1993 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Brilliant, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8205N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25400
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO FUEL THE AIRPLANE AT APRX 1900 PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, IMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ABOUT 1930. THE NWS 1951 RECORDED WX AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS 600 FT BROKEN, 1,500 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 6 MI IN FOG. AREA FORECAST FOR MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA AFTER 2000 WAS CEILING AT OR BELOW 1,000 FT AGL WITH VISIBILITY OF 3 MI WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 1/31/93 NEARLY SUBMERGED IN A LAKE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 213 hours in all; 62 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 157 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,948 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1992; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUP Tupelo MS at 1:30 am
- Destination: FTY Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from TUP, 64 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.