Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mathis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cummings, Georgia 30130
Wednesday, May 5, 2004 21:25 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses at the airport stated that it was dark outside and that the runway was not equipped with runway edge lights. The witnesses aligned their cars along the end of the runway and turned on their headlights. The noncertificated pilot made three low approaches to runway 21, but on the third approach, the pilot banked the airplane to the left to avoid a collision with the wind sock. The airplane descended and witnesses lost sight of the airplane. Witnesses next reported hearing the on-board ballistic rocket system detonating followed by a power line transformer explosion. The airplane was located 275 feet, southeast of the airport in a nose low vertical attitude. Examination of flight controls revealed continuity. There were paint smears on the back spar and the propeller blade. The two fuel tanks were not ruptured and over six gallons of fuel were recovered. The toxicology report revealed that the pilot had a blood alcohol level of .074%. Fluoxetine (a prescription antidepressant) was also detected in the pilot's blood.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The unqualified person's poor judgement and his failed to maintain clearance from power lines and trees while maneuvering for a landing which resulted in the in-flight collision with trees and power lines. Factors were the dark night and the unqualified person's physical impairment due to alcohol consumption.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/5/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2125 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Cummings |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30130 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340604N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0840940W |
| Event Location Airport | Mathis Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GA27 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 220 |
| Airport Elevation | 1170 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2155 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 237 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KMGE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1068 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.11 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 17878 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 6 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 7 2005 10:33AM |
| 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 | N8KD |
| NTSB Number | ATL04LA109 |
| 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 | Bergmann |
| Aircraft Model | RANS S-12 XL Airaile |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | None |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Peter F. Geckeler |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cumming |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30518 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| 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? | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 0GE5 |
| Departure City | Cleveland |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2015 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | GA27 |
| Destination City | Cumming |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2005 1:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 1550 |
| Runway Width | 20 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |