Piper PA-32-260 accident near Gainesville, Florida, June 7, 1995
On June 7, 1995 at about 4:10 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N41481, was destroyed in an accident near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AFTER CONTINUING THE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DARK NIGHT THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE PILOT'S SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, THE FAILURE OF THE FSS WEATHER OBSERVER TO INFORM THE IN-FLIGHT SPECIALIST AND CENTER CONTROLLER THAT THE AIRPORT WAS UNDER IFR CONDITIONS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE FSS RELIEF IN-FLIGHT SPECIALIST TO MAKE HIMSELF AWARE OF THE CURRENT OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATIONS AND TO THEN INFORM THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1995 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N41481 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7400032
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED AT 2332 BY JACKSONVILLE CENTER THAT ANOTHER FLIGHT HAD TO FLY AN ILS APPROACH AT GAINESVILLE (GNV) DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. AT 0008, THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE GNV FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) THAT SHE HAD THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE FLIGHT CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND PROCEEDED NORTHEAST. THE FLIGHT WAS LAST SEEN ON RADAR 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT AT 1,300 FEET. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 5 MILES NORTHEAST. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED INTO THE GROUND LEFT WING FIRST IN A NEAR 90-DEGREE BANK WHILE ON A 180-DEGREE HEADING. A WEATHER OBSERVATION TAKEN 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS IFR DUE TO A 600-FOOT BROKEN CEILING. THE WEATHER OBSERVER DID NOT TELL THE GNV FSS IN-FLIGHT SPECIALIST OR JACKSONVILLE CENTER CONTROLLER THAT THE AIRPORT WAS IFR. THE PILOT WAS ALSO NOT TOLD OF THIS WEATHER REPORT. A SHIFT CHANGE OCCURRED AS THE FLIGHT ARRIVED AT GNV, AND THE RELIEF FSS IN-FLIGHT SPECIALIST DID NOT GET BRIEFED NOR DID HE CHECK THE WEATHER. THE RELIEF SPECIALIST ALSO DID NOT KNOW THAT THE AIRPORT WAS IFR BEFORE TALKING TO THE FLIGHT.
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: 750 hours in all; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,861 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 26, 1994; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 15J Adel GA at 3:10 am
- Destination: GNV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 am from GNV, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.