What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 2, 2024, about 0713 eastern daylight time, an aircraft was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Augusta, Georgia. The private
Pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a 14 CFR part 91 flight.
Initial automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) track data revealed that the flight
Departed runway 5 at Daniel Field Airport (dnl), Augusta, Georgia, at 0712, destined for
Tweed/new haven airport (hvn), new haven, Connecticut. The airplane proceeded on runway
Heading for about ½ nautical mile (NM), where a left turn was initiated. The airplane continued
In the left turn, at about 200–300 ft above the ground, for about 30 seconds and crashed into
The top of mature oak trees in a residential area, severing the outboard half of the left wing.
The outboard wing section remained lodged in a tree, about 60 ft above the ground. The
Airplane continued and impacted the front yard of a residence, coming to rest upright.
The direction of the wreckage path was about 235°. The cockpit and cabin were consumed in a
Postaccident fire. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that all structural components
Of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The landing gear were found in the
Extended (down) position and the wing flaps were retracted (up).
No calls of distress from the pilot were noted. The departure airport utilized a common traffic
Advisory frequency (CTAF) that was not recorded. Several local residents provided home
Surveillance video to investigators. Although the airplane could not be seen within the fields of
View of the cameras, the engine could be heard, running at high RPM until the sounds of tree
And ground impact were heard.
Recorded weather near the time of the accident included calm wind, a clear sky, and 10 NM
Visibility.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 2, 2024, ABOUT 0713 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. THE PRIVATE
PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT.
INITIAL AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST (ADS-B) TRACK DATA REVEALED THAT THE FLIGHT
DEPARTED RUNWAY 5 AT DANIEL FIELD AIRPORT (DNL), AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, AT 0712, DESTINED FOR
TWEED/NEW HAVEN AIRPORT (HVN), NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT. THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDED ON RUNWAY
HEADING FOR ABOUT ½ NAUTICAL MILE (NM), WHERE A LEFT TURN WAS INITIATED. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED
IN THE LEFT TURN, AT ABOUT 200–300 FT ABOVE THE GROUND, FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AND CRASHED INTO
THE TOP OF MATURE OAK TREES IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, SEVERING THE OUTBOARD HALF OF THE LEFT WING.
THE OUTBOARD WING SECTION REMAINED LODGED IN A TREE, ABOUT 60 FT ABOVE THE GROUND. THE
AIRPLANE CONTINUED AND IMPACTED THE FRONT YARD OF A RESIDENCE, COMING TO REST UPRIGHT.
THE DIRECTION OF THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS ABOUT 235°. THE COCKPIT AND CABIN WERE CONSUMED IN A
POSTACCIDENT FIRE. INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT ALL STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
OF THE AIRPLANE WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE LANDING GEAR WERE FOUND IN THE
EXTENDED (DOWN) POSITION AND THE WING FLAPS WERE RETRACTED (UP).
NO CALLS OF DISTRESS FROM THE PILOT WERE NOTED. THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT UTILIZED A COMMON TRAFFIC
ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) THAT WAS NOT RECORDED. SEVERAL LOCAL RESIDENTS PROVIDED HOME
SURVEILLANCE VIDEO TO INVESTIGATORS. ALTHOUGH THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT BE SEEN WITHIN THE FIELDS OF
VIEW OF THE CAMERAS, THE ENGINE COULD BE HEARD, RUNNING AT HIGH RPM UNTIL THE SOUNDS OF TREE
AND GROUND IMPACT WERE HEARD.
RECORDED WEATHER NEAR THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INCLUDED CALM WIND, A CLEAR SKY, AND 10 NM
VISIBILITY.
THE WRECKAGE WAS RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.