Fulton County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Austell, Georgia 30001
Saturday, December 29, 1990 20:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED FOUR INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES TO FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT, AND WAS UNABLE TO LAND DUE TO LOW CEILINGS. WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE ATLANTA AREA WERE POOR; HOWEVER ACCORDING TO APPROACH CONTROL, OTHER AIRPLANES HAD LANDED AT DEKALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT (PDK). THE PILOT WAS INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTEMPTING AN APPROACH INTO PDK; HE ELECTED TO EXECUTE ANOTHER APPROACH INTO FULTON COUNTY. DURING THE FIFTH APPROACH, THE PILOT REPORTED AN UNSPECIFIED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, CRASHED, AND BURNED SHORT OF RUNWAY 8. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO INDICATE A MECHANIAL PROBLEM. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DARK NIGHT UNDER INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHICH RESULTED FROM THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL ON FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS WEATHER CONDITIONS FAVORABLE TO CARBURETOR ICING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2015
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City AUSTELL
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30001
Event Date Year 1990
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 841
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2019 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
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 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2278
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44635
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2794Y
NTSB Number ATL91FA035
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model B95
Aircraft Series Identifier B95
Aircraft Serial Number TD-165
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3528
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LUTHER, MARK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 4 BOX 885
Operator City ALABASTER
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35009
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 21A
Departure City ALABASTER
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FTY
Destination City ATLANTA
Destination State GA
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 --