Vidalia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vidalia, Georgia 30474
Wednesday, October 14, 1998 11:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he obtained a weather and NOTAM briefing before he departed on a VFR flight. Upon landing on runway 24 at his destination airport, the airplane collided with a barrier, and the left main landing gear collapsed. Coordination with FAA Automated Flight Service Stations revealed no record of a weather or NOTAM briefing provided to the accident pilot. A NOTAM was issued 3 months before the accident closing runway 24. Examination of the runway by the FAA after the accident revealed the closed runway was marked in accordance with required publications.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning by which he failed to obtain NOTAM information, and his failure to identify an hazardous/unsafe condition on the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VIDALIA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30474
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VIDALIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 275
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1149 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AMG
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 832
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39525
NTSB Number MIA99LA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32RT
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7887101
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLEVELAND BARTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2 OPEN BRAND ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ROLLING HILLS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90274
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FPR
Departure City FORT PIERCE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code VID
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 5003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --