Gwinett County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lawrenceville, Georgia
Wednesday, September 1, 1982 20:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE RETURN FLT TO STONE MOUNTAIN ARPT, THE PLT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL & REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE GWINNETT COUNTY ARPT AT LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN GOING AROUND THUNDERSTORMS & IT WAS TURNING DARK. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE PLT ASKED HOW TO TURN ON THE RWY LIGHTS & STATED HE HAD THE ROTATING BEACON IN SIGHT. A CFI AT THE ARPT OBSERVED THE PLANE FLY OVER THE ARPT AT 300 TO 400 FT GENERALLY ALIGNED WITH RWY 7. THE RWY LIGHTS WERE OUT DUE TO THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER BEING TRIPPED BY LIGHTNING. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED ENTERING A WINGS LEVEL, STEEP DESCENT WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE ACFT WAS OBSCURED FROM VIEW BY RAIN & FOG. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1/4 MI EAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 7. THE FLAP ACTUATOR WAS IN THE MECHANICAL POSITION CORRESPONDING TO A 40 DEG FLAP SETTING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1982
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAWRENCEVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport GWINETT COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 17A
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1850
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID PDK
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 78
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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) 2596
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3247A
NTSB Number ATL82FA261
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 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 25891
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 930
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANKLIN A. BUCHANAN JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 841 ANNA CT.
Aircraft Owner City LAWRENCEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30245
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRANKLIN A. BUCHANAN JR.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 841 ANNA CT.
Operator City LAWRENCEVILLE
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30245
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 00A
Departure City STONE MOUNTAIN
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 00A
Destination City STONE MOUNTAIN
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --