# Accident 19980404005471A: Cessna 172N, Marieita, GA, April 4, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 4, 1998, 10:32 local time
- Place: Marieita, GA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9703° N, 84.4307° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9703&lon=-84.4307&mi=10
- Aircraft: N737WD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N737WD-2013-05-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98FA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980404005471A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PASSING THRU ATL AREA VFR NO TRANSPONDER NOR ON ATC FFC. COLLIDED WITH CITATION N111LR ON CLIMBOUT. BOTH CRASHED.(.4) A CESSNA 525 AND A CESSNA 172 COLLIDED IN FLIGHT ABOUT 3,400 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL ON CONVERGING COURSES, WITH THE 525 HEADING NORTH AND THE 172 HEADING SOUTHWEST. THE CONVERGING SPEED WAS ABOUT 300 KNOTS. THE 525 DEPARTED UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES, RECEIVED VECTORS, AND WAS INITIATING A CLIMB ON COURSE. TRAINING IN THE 525 EMPHASIZES MAXIMUM USE OF THE AUTOPILOT TO AFFORD GREATER OUTSIDE SCANNING BY THE SINGLE PILOT. THE 525 WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH TERMINAL APPROACH CONTROL AND THE PILOT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CLIMB CLEARANCE WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE COLLISION. THE 172 HAD DEPARTED A LOCAL AIRFIELD, LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE THE 30 MILE MODE C VEIL AIRSPACE OF A TERMINAL AIRPORT, AND PROCEEDED SOUTHWEST. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE 172 WAS APPROACHING CLASS D AIRSPACE OF A MILITARY TOWER, AND THE PILOT WAS INITIATING RADIO CONTACT WITH THE MILITARY TOWER. THE TERMINAL APPROACH CONTROLLER IN CONTACT WITH THE 525 STATED HE DID NOT OBSERVE THE PRIMARY TARGET OF THE 172, AND CONFLICT ALERT SOFTWARE WAS NOT INSTALLED. THE 172 DID NOT DISPLAY A TRANSPONDER SIGNAL AND   THE TRANSPONDER SWITCH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND IN THE `OFF' POSITION. A COCKPIT VISIBILITY STUDY INDICATED THAT FROM A FIXED EYE POSITION THE 172 WAS ESSENTIALLY HIDDEN BEHIND AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE OF THE 525 FOR THE 125 SECONDS BEFORE IMPACT. THE 172 COULD BE SEEN BY SHIFTING THE PILOT'S EYE POSITION. THE 525 WAS VIEWABLE IN THE LEFT LOWER SECTION OF THE 172'S WINDSCREEN. BOTH AIRPLANES WERE OPERATING IN VISUAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98FA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98FA060), Apr 4, 1998: Cessna 172N (N737WD), Marietta, GA, destroyed, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of both pilots to see and avoid conflicting traffic, and the failure of the 172 pilot to operate the transponder as required by current regulations. Factors were the controller's failure…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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