20020206037909A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Atlanta, GA · February 6, 2002

Date: February 6, 2002 · 14:02 local
Place: Atlanta, GA
Airport: Dekalb-Peachtree
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N4105W
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL02FA043
Reported as: Piper PA32300
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4

N4105WRegistration cancelled Aug 17, 2004 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-40168 · Built 1967 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On February 6, 2002 at 14:02 local time, a Piper PA32-300 aircraft, registration number N4105W crashed approximately six minutes after takeoff from Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (pdk) in Atlanta Georgia. The crash site was 1.5 miles east of pdk airport in a heavily wooded/swampy area just off interstate 85. The aircraft was totally destroyed, resulting in four fatalities, one pilot and all three passengers. The aircraft was being operated under an IFR plan by pilot/owner clyde anthony griffin. Mr. Griffin and three male passengers had departed pdk airport enroute to savannah, Georgia at 13:54 EST. Shortly after radar identification by Atlanta approach control (satp) radar plots show aircraft N4105W in an erratic flight pattern. Attached transcripts from the Atlanta ATCT satellite-p radar position show N4105W'S last recorded transmission to satp at 14:01:01EST. Radar contact lost 14:01:30 EST.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON FEBRUARY 6, 2002 AT 14:02 LOCAL TIME, A PIPER PA32-300 AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION NUMBER N4105W CRASHED APPROXIMATELY SIX MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM DEKALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT (PDK) IN ATLANTA GEORGIA. THE CRASH SITE WAS 1.5 MILES EAST OF PDK AIRPORT IN A HEAVILY WOODED/SWAMPY AREA JUST OFF INTERSTATE 85. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED, RESULTING IN FOUR FATALITIES, ONE PILOT AND ALL THREE PASSENGERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER AN IFR PLAN BY PILOT/OWNER CLYDE ANTHONY GRIFFIN. MR. GRIFFIN AND THREE MALE PASSENGERS HAD DEPARTED PDK AIRPORT ENROUTE TO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA AT 13:54 EST. SHORTLY AFTER RADAR IDENTIFICATION BY ATLANTA APPROACH CONTROL (SATP) RADAR PLOTS SHOW AIRCRAFT N4105W IN AN ERRATIC FLIGHT PATTERN. ATTACHED TRANSCRIPTS FROM THE ATLANTA ATCT SATELLITE-P RADAR POSITION SHOW N4105W'S LAST RECORDED TRANSMISSION TO SATP AT 14:01:01EST. RADAR CONTACT LOST 14:01:30 EST.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL02FA043Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportAtlanta, GAThe pilot experienced spatial disorientation that resulted in the loss of control.Feb 6, 2002 · Destroyed