Cartersville Bartow Co Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cartersville, Georgia 30120
Tuesady, February 16, 1999 15:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness observed the airplane flying 'very low' towards the Cartersville Airport, Cartersville, Georgia, when she heard the engine quit, and observed the airplane nose down and crash into the trees. Witnesses at the Cartersville Airport stated that the accident airplane never contacted them on their Unicom frequency. The airplane impacted into a wooded field about 1.6 miles northeast of the airport. The impact destroyed the airplane, scattering debris for about 700 feet on a southeast heading. Several large diameter trees were broken, or cut and components of the airplane were hanging in branches of surrounding trees. Residents adjacent to the field reported smelling a strong odor of fuel shortly after the crash. During the teardown inspection of the engine there were no pre-impact discrepancies found, nor were there any pre-impact discrepancies found with the airframe. The autopsy and toxicology reports were also non-conclusive.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

In flight collision with terrain for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CARTERSVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30120
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARTERSVILLE BARTOW CO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VPC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 80
Airport Elevation 760
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MGE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1068
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1585
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 505
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 16 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:20AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21724
NTSB Number ATL99FA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R 7885261
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 4 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3086
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JERROLD P. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 60 WHITLOCK SQ.
Aircraft Owner City MARIETTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30064
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RYY
Departure City MARIETTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:20AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --