South Fulton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmetto, Georgia 30268
Thursday, April 18, 1996 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he diverted due to a partially open cabin door. He entered the traffic pattern and while on short final approach to the 2,690-foot runway with a 600-foot displaced threshold, a high sink rate developed. He applied nose-up elevator input three times but only applied power during the third elevator input. The airplane landed hard on the right main landing gear causing it to collapse. The airplane then bounced twice, veered off the right side of the runway, and contacted a closed taxiway that was raised 4-6 inches causing the left main and nose landing gears to collapse.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain the proper descent rate resulting in a hard landing and collapse of the right main landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PALMETTO
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30268
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SOUTH FULTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8A9
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 1025
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 61
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 692
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100VG
NTSB Number MIA96LA121
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 310D
Aircraft Series Identifier 310D
Aircraft Serial Number 39063
Certified Max Gross Weight 4800
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 22 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 160
Airframe Hours 3581
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name 3SY AVIATION,INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2307 N. CR 900 E.
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46234
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRUCE D. WILLIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 4A7
Departure City HAMPTON
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 8A9
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 27
Runway Length 2690
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --