Piper PA-32-260 accident near Chamblee, Georgia, November 8, 2004
On November 8, 2004 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N411CP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. .
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 2004 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N411CP · registry record · serial 32-7500003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff the engine started to "sputter" and lose power. Efforts by the pilot to restore power were unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency and during the forced landing the airplane collided with a house. Examination of the airplane found no fuel in the right and left main fuel tanks and about five gallons of fuel in the left tip tank. The right tip tank separated during the collision sequence. There was no browning of grass or remnants of fuel at the location of the right tip tank. Fuel was not present in the fuel lines leading from the right tip tank to the engine. The engine was successfully run. According to the pilot, the airplane departed with 14 gallons of fuel in the right tip tank.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Crew member
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,378.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2004; 35.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Dekalb GA at 8:28 pm
- Destination: WDR Winder GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 3:37 pm from PDK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N411CP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.