Piper PA-23 accident near Highlands, North Carolina, July 29, 2008
On July 29, 2008 at about 6:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N1180P, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Highlands, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and intensity information to the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2008 · about 6:53 pm local time
- Place
- Highlands, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N1180P · no longer on the register · serial 23-194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The professional airline pilot had just purchased the personal airplane, and the accident flight was his first flight in it. Prior to departing on the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot received a weather briefing which included warnings for severe convective activity. While enroute, the pilot was in contact with air traffic control and indicated he was deviating around weather. The controller initially described the radar-observed precipitation correctly to the pilot. However, when the pilot decided to deviate toward a different area of extreme weather, the controller described it only as "a buildup," which was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration directives. By the time the pilot elected to reverse course, the airplane was in the vicinity of extreme-levels of precipitation. A ground witness observed the airplane fly into an area of "dark clouds", and then break apart in-flight. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during enroute (cruise)
- Aircraft structural failure during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › (general) › Availability of related info
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,920 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 255 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,588 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 8, 2008
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 4:55 pm
- Destination: AZE Hazlehurst GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; a few clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from AVL, 47 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.