# Accident 20191011022052A: Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER, Cedartown, GA, October 11, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 11, 2019, 19:00 local time - Place: Cedartown, GA - Damage: Substantial damage - Collision: Collision on the ground - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll - 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: N166DH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N166DH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER (registry code 2802606, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-6-twin-otter) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DHC-6 TWIN OTTER - Reported engine: LYCOMING PT6A - People aboard: 11 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 2,050 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA20CA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA021) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191011022052A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 11, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 P.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A 1967 DE HAVILLAND, MODEL DHC-6 TWIN OTTER WITH REGISTRATION N166DH SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF A GROUND COLLISION WITH N540ML, A 2008 PANZL S330, AT THE CEDARTOWN (4A4) AIRPORT IN CEDARTOWN, GEORGIA. THERE WERE 11 PERSONS ON BOARD N166DH AND 1 PERSONS ON N540ML WITH NO INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THIS WAS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 12, 2019 AN FAA INSPECTOR FROM THE ATLANTA FSDO TRAVELLED TO THE CEDARTOWN AIRPORT TO PERFORM AN ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF N166DH REVEALED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT LANDING GEAR FAIRING. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF N166DH STATED THAT HE JUST LOADED UP 10 SKYDIVER PASSENGERS AND WAS TAXING TO RUNWAY 10. AS HE WAS TAXING HE NOTICED THAT THE RUNWAY LIGHTS HAD BEEN TURNED ON, SO HE BEGAN TO SCAN THE AREA FOR APPROACHING AIRCRAFT. ONCE LINED UP ON RUNWAY 10, THE PIC STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A FINAL SCAN OF THE AREA AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT TO LIFT OFF THE PIC OF N166DH NOTICED A SMALL AIRCRAFT AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP ON THE YOKE TO TRY AN AVOID HITTING IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR OF THE N166DH STRUCK AND SHEARED OFF THE LEFT WING OF N540ML. AN EXAMINATION OF THE RUNWAY DID REVEAL A SLIGHT DIP IN THE PAVEMENT APPROXIMATELY 3000' FROM THE APPROACH END. THIS DEPRESSION WAS NEAR THE LOCATION OF IMPACT THAT COULD CREATE A TEMPORARY BLIND SPOT. THE PIC STATED THAT HE DID NOT RECALL THE CURRENT WIND CONDITIONS DURING HIS TAKEOFF. A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT METAR DATA SHOWED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SOUTH TO SOUTH EAST FROM 3-6 MILES PER HOUR. ## Other aircraft in the event - N540ML, Wingtip To Wingtip LLC PANZL S-330: [Accident 20191011021092A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191011021092A) ## 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 GAA20CA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA021), Oct 11, 2019: De Havilland DHC 6 Twin Otter (N166DH), Cedartown, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: ***This report was modified on June 4, 2020. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.*** The departing pilot's failure to see and avoid the arriving airplane as it was… ## Other reports on N166DH (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20250608006759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250608006759A), Jun 8, 2025: Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER (N166DH), Tullahoma, TN, Substantial damage. Skydive aircraft loaded 19 skydive passengers for the 4th load of the day. Pilot states that the aircraft had 360 lbs of fuel upon startup. Witnesses and pilot… - [Incident 20140420005959I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140420005959I), Apr 20, 2014: Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER (N166DH), Sewell., NJ, No damage, 1 fatal. Parachutist, arkady shenker, age 49, departed aircraft N166DH, a Dehavilland DHC-6-100 on his 388 jump at 13,250 feet AGL. Type of parachute used was a SABRE2… - [Incident 20110527010179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110527010179I), May 27, 2011: Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER (N166DH), Williamstown, NJ, No damage, 1 fatal. On 5-27-11, at approximately 2020 hours, two voluntary parachutists collided at Cross Keys Airport, NJ during a parachute jump from aircraft DHC-6-100, s/n 66,… - [Incident 19920402021809I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920402021809I), Apr 2, 1992: Dhav DHC6TWNOTTER (N166DH), Deland, FL. Chute deployment normal. Jumper landed with wind at high speed. Landed hard and sustained injuries. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.