# Accident 20171012016169A: Dehavilland DHC-1, Cedartown, GA, October 12, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 12, 2017, 14:00 local time
- Place: Cedartown, GA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0186° N, 85.1464° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0186&lon=-85.1464&mi=10
- Aircraft: N323WG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N323WG-2020-08-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Dehavilland DHC-1 (registry code 2801702, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DHC-1
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 28 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA011) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171012016169A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING A LANDING ON RUNWAY 10 AT THE POLK COUNTY AIRPORT (4A4) IN CEDARTOWN, GA. UPON INITIAL TOUCHEDDOWN THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONED BACK UP IN THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT CAME BACK DOWN ON THE RUNWAY AND WHEN IT TOUCHDOWN AGAIN ON THE RUNWAY THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO WEAVE. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT STARTED TO SKID OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT TRIED TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS VEERING OFF TO THE LH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT INTENDED TO USE THE GRASSY AREA OF THE AIRFIELD TO RETURN THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, THE PILOT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT AFTER ABOUT 30 FEET OF THE GRASSY AREA WAS A RAVINE WITH ABOUT A 20 FOOT DROP. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OVER THE EDGE AND INTO THE RAVINE. THE AIRCRAFT SLAMMED INTO THE GROUND AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAVINE. BOTH MLG COLLAPSED UPON IMPACT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER BOTH EXITED THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY AND WITH NO INJURIES. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT NOTICED FIRE COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND PROCEEDED TO TRY TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AND THEY HAD TO WAIT ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME  ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

A WITNESS WAS FLYING IN HIS GYROPLANE AND DID SEE THE AIRCRAFT UPON FINAL APPROACH. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SEE THE AIRCRAFT UPON ANY INITIAL LANDINGS OR WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO THE RAVINE. WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO  SEE THE AIRCRAFT, IT WAS ALREADY IN THE RAVINE. HE DID SEE THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITING THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTING TO SMOKE. HE CALLED BACK TO THE FBO AND NOTIFIED THE AIRPORT MANAGER TO CALL 911 AND CONTACT THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. AFTER 911 WAS NOTIFIED, THE AIRPORT MANAGER ARRIVED ON SCENE AND SAW THE SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE RH SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1410 AND IT TOOK ROUGHLY 10 MINUTES TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE.

## 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 GAA18CA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA011), Oct 12, 2017: Dehavilland DHC 1 (N323WG), Cedartown, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

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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