Cobb County - Mccollum Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Euharlee, Georgia 30120
Tuesady, September 21, 2004 19:32 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the president of Aero Atlanta Flight Center, the purpose of the flight was for one flight instructor to provide a "check-out" flight to the second flight instructor, so that the second flight instructor could begin training students in the PA-32R-301. The flight center president stated that such a flight would typically include the performance of normal and emergency procedures, landings, slow flight, stalls, and steep turns. A witness outside about two miles from the accident site reported hearing an airplane engine noise that sounded "wide open." He stated he then heard two very loud pops, then there was silence. A pilot and mechanic-rated witness reported the airplane sounded "... like it was doing a loop or some kind of high G-load maneuver." Witnesses reported they saw the airplane fall out of the sky in pieces. Examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction of the engine, propeller, or flight controls. Examination revealed the outboard sections of both wings and the stabilator were separated. Fracture surfaces from the left wing main spar, the right wing main spar, and the stabilator were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board, Office of Research and Engineering, Materials Laboratory Division, Washington, D. C., for metallurgical examination. The laboratory report stated there was no evidence of pre-existing cracking or damage, and the fracture characteristics were consistent with overstress separations. The report stated, "Fracture, damage, and deformation patterns indicated upward loading on both wings at the time of fracture. ... Fracture, damage, and deformation patterns on the horizontal stabilator indicated downward bending overstress separations ... ."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate control of the airplane, which resulted in the pilot exceeding the design limits of the airplane and subsequent in-flight separation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/2004
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1932
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Euharlee
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30120
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 341016N
Event Location Longitude 0845527W
Event Location Airport Cobb County - McCollum Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KRYY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 18.8
Degrees magnetic from airport 304
Airport Elevation 1040
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 131
Weather Observation Facility ID KVPC
Elevation of weather observation facility 759
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) 1618
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KVPC 212153Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 24/12 A30
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 17862
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
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 - 11

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N801SP
NTSB Number ATL04FA190
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-32R-301
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-8013070
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99.6
Airframe Hours 3961.18
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Letch Properties, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 109 Estates Avenue
Aircraft Owner City Woodstock
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30188
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Aero Atlanta Flight Center
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1723 McCollum Parkway
Operator City Kennesaw
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30144
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 No
Departure Airport Code KRYY
Departure City Kennesaw
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 10 2005 3:16PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --