Fulton County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlanta, Georgia 30320
Friday, December 25, 1992 18:14 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WIFE, WHO WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT DURING THE FLIGHT, EVERYTHING WAS OKAY AND THE PILOT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE. HOWEVER, AS THE FLIGHT ARRIVED INTO THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA, THE PILOT EXPRESSED SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE VISUAL TRAFFIC CLEARANCE TO LAND. AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THE CONTROLLER, THE PILOT ESTABLISHED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 08. THE PILOT FURTHER INQUIRED ABOUT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WERE OPERATIONAL. AFTER SOME MANEUVERING, THE PILOT WAS ESTABLISHED ON A FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 08. ABOUT 800 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE APPROACH LIGHTS AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 375 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND SUBSYSTEMS FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM APPROACH LIGHTS WHILE CONDUCTING A NIGHT LANDING. A FACTOR WAS A DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1814
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ATLANTA
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30320
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FULTON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FTY
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 841
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1818 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID FTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 850
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 980
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51634
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2603Z
NTSB Number ATL93FA041
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-8154011
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2658
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HESTER, MILTON M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6680 D JONES MILL RD
Aircraft Owner City NORCROSS
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30092
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HESTER, MILTON M.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6680 D JONES MILL RD
Operator City NORCROSS
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30092
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 AZE
Departure City HAZLEHURST
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FTY
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 8
Runway Length 5796
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --