Mathis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cumming, Georgia 30130
Friday, January 27, 1989 3:43 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD MADE A FLIGHT FROM HIS HOME AIRPORT TO AUGUSTA AND UPON RETURNING, HAD TO DIVERT DUE TO WEATHER. HE HAD DEPARTED AUGUSTA ABOUT 2315, LANDED AT PDK ABOUT 2400, AND OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FSS ABOUT 0122. THE BRIEFER INDICATED THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE IFR AND THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS 'INSTRUMENT' BUT THE PLANE WAS NOT (NO ATTITUDE INDICATOR). THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE DEPARTED PDK FOR MCCOLLUM ABOUT 0245. AT 0306, ZTL RECORDED A CALL FROM THE PILOT THAT HE 'GOT INTO SOME SOUP AND WAS VFR'. HE INIDCATED THAT HE WAS NOT IFR QUALIFIED. AFTER SOME VECTORS, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE COULD SEE THE GROUND. HE WAS TURNED TOWARD PDK AT HIS REQUEST AND THEN RADIOED THAT HE WAS OUT OF FUEL. HE HAD INDICATED SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR 1 1/2 HOURS EARLIER IN THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. TOTAL TIME FROM INITIAL RADIO CONTACT TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS ABOUT 32 MINUTES. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN ADVERSE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AT NIGHT WITH AN INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND INSUFFICIENT FUEL RESERVE FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 343
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CUMMING
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30130
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MATHIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 84A
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 344 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 900
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
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) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 307
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38849
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2556U
NTSB Number ATL89LA083
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172D
Aircraft Series Identifier 172D
Aircraft Serial Number 17250156
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 2348
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREDERICKS, E WAYNE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1804 WINTERSET PKWY
Aircraft Owner City MARIETTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30067
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name E. WAYNE FREDERICKS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1804 WINTERSET PKWY.
Operator City MARIETTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30067
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 PDK
Departure City CHAMBLEE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 245
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 8A4
Destination City KENNESAW
Destination State GA
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --