Britt Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stone Mountain, Georgia 30087
Sunday, September 5, 1993 9:58 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TAKING OFF ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT OVER-ROTATED, AND INITIALLY CLIMBED AT A VERY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT NARROWLY CLEARED TALL TREES LOCATED AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED INTO THE TREES AND CRASHED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT MAXIMUM TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTATION OF A CURRENT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK; HE HAD LOGGED ONLY 19 HOURS OF FLYING TIME IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, AND HAD NOT LOGGED ANY FLIGHT TIME IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT STABILATOR DURING THE TAKEOFF, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTANT STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) LOCATED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 958
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STONE MOUNTAIN
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30087
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BRITT MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 00A
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation 986
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1380
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6312W
NTSB Number ATL93FA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-20371
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 3284
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GONZALES, WOODROW M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4527 DORSET DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DECATUR
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30035
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GONZALES, WOODROW M.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4527 DORSET DRIVE
Operator City DECATUR
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30035
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 958
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City CLEVELAND
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 17
Runway Length 2806
Runway Width 45
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --