Downing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cumming, Georgia 30130
Wednesday, June 20, 1984 11:44 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT CROSSED A HIGHWAY AFTER TAKING OFF, ENTERED A LEFT TURN, DESCENDED & PULLED BACK UP, THEN WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED. ONE WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE ACFT ENTERED A SPIN PRIOR TO CRASHING. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED EVIDENCE THAT THE RIGHT ENG WAS PROVIDING POWER. THE LEFT PROP WAS FOUND IN A FEATHERED POSITION, BUT THE COCKPIT CONTROLS WERE NOT POSITIONED TO FEATHER THE LEFT PROP. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT ENG REVEALED THAT THE #5 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE HAD ORIGINATED IN AN AREA WHERE THE ROD HAD BEEN BENT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS COLUMN BENDING OF THE ROD (POSSIBLY FROM A HYDROSTATIC LOCK). THE LEFT PRIMER WAS FOUND BROKEN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1144
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CUMMING
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30130
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOWNING
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1157 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID PDK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1002
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
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) 11
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3300
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) 1605
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25426
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N231
NTSB Number ATL84FA203
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 Camair Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model 480
Aircraft Series Identifier 480
Aircraft Serial Number I-067
Certified Max Gross Weight 4323
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 Jun 2 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREDERICK W. PATTERSON, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address AIR ACRES WAY
Aircraft Owner City WOODSTOCK
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30188
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 6GA0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 5GA4
Destination City WOODSTOCK
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --