Piper PA-34-200T accident near Birmingham, Alabama, December 16, 1996
On December 16, 1996 at about 1:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N872SD, was destroyed in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to follow emergency procedures and feather the malfunctioning engine, which led to a forced landing and subsequent collision with a chimney (residence) and the terrain. His lack of recent experience in make/model of aircraft was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1996 · about 1:19 pm local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N872SD · no longer on the register · serial 34-7970319
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When queried after takeoff, the pilot informed ATC that the left engine was not developing full power, and that he was having difficulty in maintaining altitude. The pilot was attempting to return to the departure airport when the airplane collided with trees and a chimney, then it crashed in a residential area. Examination of the left and right engine did not reveal any condition that would have caused an operational problem. Neither propeller was in the feather position. Two work orders had been signed off on the day of the accident; one indicated that the airplane was in an airworthy; the other (with a later invoice number) indicated that the airplane was not in an airworthy condition. A review of pilot log sheets showed that the pilot had prevously flown the Piper PA-34 between 1/13/86 and 10/6/91; since that period, he had only flown it once, which was on the day before the accident. Reportedly, during that flight, he had flown the airplane for one hour, but did not practice emergency procedures.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,711 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental LTS-IO-360-BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: F And B Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: BHM at 1:11 pm
- Destination: PNS Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:13 pm from BHM, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.