What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 10/30/2019, atl FSDO 11 inspectors were assigned this aviation accident. The accident occurred @ 1021 local time on 10/30/2019 in an apartment complex building located at privacy data omitted, which is within two miles from the departure airport, Peachtree Dekalb Airport (kpdk) in Atlanta, GA involving aircraft N56258 that is a 1973 Piper PA-28R-200, s/n 28R-7335393.
We conducted the investigation with the NTSB, first responders, medical examiners, and sheriff on site.
We arrived at the crash site @ 1315 local time and saw that the aircraft and debris were located inside and outside of two different apartments where it came to rest. Located within the apartment complex area, there were sections of the left wing, elevator, pitot tube and other pieces of the aircraft scattered about. A large portion of the left wing was located near the entrance of the apartment complex, on top of another apartment building.
At the time of our arrival, the pilot and one passenger on board the aircraft were still on site, deceased. We enlisted assistance from the NTSB to take necessary pictures.
As much as possible, the parts of the aircraft that were recovered were transferred to privacy data omitted in griffin, GA.
We recovered as much as possible older maintenance documents, and the available personal effects of each of the individuals on board the aircraft.
On 11/1/2019, we met with the NTSB, a representative from Piper, and a representative from Lycoming, at privacy data omitted to inspect the airframe and teardown the engine.
The engine was found to have compression and freely rotated. The vacuum pump, the vanes inside the vacuum pump and the shaft did not appear to be damaged. The case holding the vanes was broken. The magnetos were tested and found to operate properly. The state and condition of the props indicate that the props were rotating and the engine was running.
The pilot held a commercial certificate privacy data omitted. The pilot possessed a third class medical dated 04/18/2018. The pilot was appropriately rated to fly the aircraft.
The currency of annual inspection of the aircraft at the time of the accident is unknown. The inspectors attempted to obtain aircraft records, but was unable to locate them all.
The investigation revealed that the pilot reported to ATC that he had a vacuum problem, but did not declare an emergency. According to ATC, the pilot departed pdk runway 21L, made a right turn when radio and radar communications were lost. The last communication ATC had with the pilot was, ?wings level, maintain 4000??.
As the FAA filed it
ON 10/30/2019, ATL FSDO 11 INSPECTORS WERE ASSIGNED THIS AVIATION ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED @ 1021 LOCAL TIME ON 10/30/2019 IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX BUILDING LOCATED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WHICH IS WITHIN TWO MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, PEACHTREE DEKALB AIRPORT (KPDK) IN ATLANTA, GA INVOLVING AIRCRAFT N56258 THAT IS A 1973 PIPER PA-28R-200, S/N 28R-7335393.
WE CONDUCTED THE INVESTIGATION WITH THE NTSB, FIRST RESPONDERS, MEDICAL EXAMINERS, AND SHERIFF ON SITE.
WE ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SITE @ 1315 LOCAL TIME AND SAW THAT THE AIRCRAFT AND DEBRIS WERE LOCATED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF TWO DIFFERENT APARTMENTS WHERE IT CAME TO REST. LOCATED WITHIN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AREA, THERE WERE SECTIONS OF THE LEFT WING, ELEVATOR, PITOT TUBE AND OTHER PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT SCATTERED ABOUT. A LARGE PORTION OF THE LEFT WING WAS LOCATED NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, ON TOP OF ANOTHER APARTMENT BUILDING.
AT THE TIME OF OUR ARRIVAL, THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE STILL ON SITE, DECEASED. WE ENLISTED ASSISTANCE FROM THE NTSB TO TAKE NECESSARY PICTURES.
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THE PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT THAT WERE RECOVERED WERE TRANSFERRED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN GRIFFIN, GA.
WE RECOVERED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OLDER MAINTENANCE DOCUMENTS, AND THE AVAILABLE PERSONAL EFFECTS OF EACH OF THE INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT.
ON 11/1/2019, WE MET WITH THE NTSB, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PIPER, AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM LYCOMING, AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO INSPECT THE AIRFRAME AND TEARDOWN THE ENGINE.
THE ENGINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE COMPRESSION AND FREELY ROTATED. THE VACUUM PUMP, THE VANES INSIDE THE VACUUM PUMP AND THE SHAFT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE DAMAGED. THE CASE HOLDING THE VANES WAS BROKEN. THE MAGNETOS WERE TESTED AND FOUND TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE STATE AND CONDITION OF THE PROPS INDICATE THAT THE PROPS WERE ROTATING AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING.
THE PILOT HELD A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT POSSESSED A THIRD CLASS MEDICAL DATED 04/18/2018. THE PILOT WAS APPROPRIATELY RATED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT.
THE CURRENCY OF ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IS UNKNOWN. THE INSPECTORS ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN AIRCRAFT RECORDS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THEM ALL.
THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE HAD A VACUUM PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. ACCORDING TO ATC, THE PILOT DEPARTED PDK RUNWAY 21L, MADE A RIGHT TURN WHEN RADIO AND RADAR COMMUNICATIONS WERE LOST. THE LAST COMMUNICATION ATC HAD WITH THE PILOT WAS, ?WINGS LEVEL, MAINTAIN 4000??.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.