What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 22, 2023, this aviation safety inspector was dispatched to conduct an aircraft accident investigtion-privacy data omitted.
On December 21, 2023, privacy data omitted(Hawker Beechcraft G36), departed its home base - Dekalb-Peachtree airport (pdk), atlanta, GA, at 1701 and navigated north cruising at 3,000 ft MSL 160-170 knots. Five minutes into the flight, privacy data omittedturned northeast toward lake lanier, GA, at 3,000 ft MSL and 160-170 knots. At 1712:32, privacy data omitted turned east and continued at 3,000 ft MSL; however, slowed to 98 knots. At 1714:19, privacy data omitted turned to the right, towards an abandoned parking lot adjacent to lake lanier islands shoreline. The airplane was 100 ft above ground level and groundspeed was 70 knots. privacy data omitted Made impact with terrain pine trees and made ground impact in an abandoned parking lot. privacy data omitted Immediately caught fire. Aircraft privacy data omitted was destroyed. The pilot was fatally wounded.
Two witnesses located near the accident site stated they observed the airplane flying low over the water from west to east. The airplane then entered a right bank towards a tree line along the shoreline. The airplane impacted the trees, then impacted the parking lot and exploded. A large fire engulfed the entire airplane. Both witnesses stated that they did not hear any engine noise.
NTSB has requested an engine teardown for further analysis. This report will be amended if additional findings are discovered.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 22, 2023, THIS AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR WAS DISPATCHED TO CONDUCT AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGTION-^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.
ON DECEMBER 21, 2023, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^(HAWKER BEECHCRAFT G36), DEPARTED ITS HOME BASE - DEKALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT (PDK), ATLANTA, GA, AT 1701 AND NAVIGATED NORTH CRUISING AT 3,000 FT MSL 160-170 KNOTS. FIVE MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^TURNED NORTHEAST TOWARD LAKE LANIER, GA, AT 3,000 FT MSL AND 160-170 KNOTS. AT 1712:32, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TURNED EAST AND CONTINUED AT 3,000 FT MSL; HOWEVER, SLOWED TO 98 KNOTS. AT 1714:19, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TURNED TO THE RIGHT, TOWARDS AN ABANDONED PARKING LOT ADJACENT TO LAKE LANIER ISLANDS SHORELINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS 100 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND GROUNDSPEED WAS 70 KNOTS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE IMPACT WITH TERRAIN PINE TREES AND MADE GROUND IMPACT IN AN ABANDONED PARKING LOT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY WOUNDED.
TWO WITNESSES LOCATED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW OVER THE WATER FROM WEST TO EAST. THE AIRPLANE THEN ENTERED A RIGHT BANK TOWARDS A TREE LINE ALONG THE SHORELINE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TREES, THEN IMPACTED THE PARKING LOT AND EXPLODED. A LARGE FIRE ENGULFED THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE. BOTH WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HEAR ANY ENGINE NOISE.
NTSB HAS REQUESTED AN ENGINE TEARDOWN FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED IF ADDITIONAL FINDINGS ARE DISCOVERED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.