Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Peachtree City-Falcon Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Peachtree City, Georgia 30269
Saturday, August 24, 2002 10:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A certified flight instructor was instructing steep turns, VMC, and engine out procedures. The CFI instructed the student to shut down the left engine for training purposes. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine the CFI took command of the airplane. No mention was made by the CFI or the pilot to secure the engine and feather the propeller after it became apparent that the engine would not restart. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The CFI radioed "mayday" and preformed an off field landing. Examination of the engine revealed that the left engine started and operated normally. The propeller governor was inspected and functioned properly. Review of the approved Aircraft Flight Manual stated the airplane should have been able to climb at a rate of 190 feet per minute at sea level with the propeller feathered. Section VB-423 page 3-11, 3-12 of the Piper PA-34-200 information manual states the emergency procedures for feathering, and fuel management during single engine operation. No mechanical or flight control malfunction were discovered during the examination of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The certified flight instructors failure to feather the propeller in accordance with operating procedures that resulted in loss of altitude and the in-flight collision with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/24/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Peachtree City |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30269 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 332126N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0843418W |
| Event Location Airport | PEACHTREE CITY-FALCON FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FFC |
| 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 | 808 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FFC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 808 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2539 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13746 |
| NTSB Notification Source | |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 24 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1200 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Atlanta FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N55210 |
| NTSB Number | ATL02LA161 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-34-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34-7350187 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4200 |
| 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 | Jul 21 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 54 |
| Airframe Hours | 5757 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | KD AVIATION ENT INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810-490 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Griffin Flight Center Incorporated |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5 Falcon Drive |
| Operator City | Peachtree City |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30629 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FFC |
| Departure City | Peachtree City |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | FFC |
| Destination City | Peachtree City |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 10 2003 10:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |