Dekalb Peachtree Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chamblee, Georgia 31312
Sunday, February 18, 1990 19:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FOLLOWING AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACH IN IMC, THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, WHICH COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE WINDSCREEN HAD BECOME FOGGED DURING THE APPROACH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDSCREEN DEFROSTING SYSTEM WAS NOT USED, AND THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. BECAUSE OF THE FOGGED WINDSCREEN, THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LANDING SINK RATE, AND FAILED TO FLARE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LANDING FLARE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHAMBLEE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31312
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DEKALB PEACHTREE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PDK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1002
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1916 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PDK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1002
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 920
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 646
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41650
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N222GW
NTSB Number ATL90LA065
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31T1
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31T1
Aircraft Serial Number 31T-7904050
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Feb 9 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 2232
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INT'L TEXTILE FABRICS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1187
Aircraft Owner City ABBEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29620
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GRD
Departure City GREENWOOD
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20L
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --