Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mableton, Georgia 30126
Wednesday, May 19, 1999 15:37 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After take off the airplane was observed by the tower controller to enter the downwind leg of the landing pattern. The controller attended to other traffic and when he looked for the airplane, it had disappeared. The airplane was observed by witnesses in straight and level flight between 100 to 200 feet above the trees. One witness stated pitched up about 10 degrees, before the nose pitched straight down. The other witness stated the nose of the airplane pitched straight down. The engine was running and the airplane remained in a nose down attitude until it disappeared from view. Examination of airframe, flight control assembly, engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a pre-crash mechanical failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons, resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1537
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MABLETON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30126
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1440 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
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 EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 897
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1726
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75419
NTSB Number MIA99LA156
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 Champion
Aircraft Model GLASTAR
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASTAR
Aircraft Serial Number 5043
Certified Max Gross Weight 1960
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 70
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM J. CHAMPION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3834 KING DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DOUGLASVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30135
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FTY
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1534
Departure Time Zone
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --