Cessna 170B accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia, September 2, 1982
On September 2, 1982, a Cessna 170B, registered N3247A, was destroyed in an accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia (Gwinett County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1982
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Georgia · Gwinett County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3247A · no longer on the register · serial 25891
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE RETURN FLT TO STONE MOUNTAIN ARPT, THE PLT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL & REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE GWINNETT COUNTY ARPT AT LAWRENCEVILLE, GA. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN GOING AROUND THUNDERSTORMS & IT WAS TURNING DARK. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE PLT ASKED HOW TO TURN ON THE RWY LIGHTS & STATED HE HAD THE ROTATING BEACON IN SIGHT. A CFI AT THE ARPT OBSERVED THE PLANE FLY OVER THE ARPT AT 300 TO 400 FT GENERALLY ALIGNED WITH RWY 7. THE RWY LIGHTS WERE OUT DUE TO THE MAIN CIRCUIT BREAKER BEING TRIPPED BY LIGHTNING. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED ENTERING A WINGS LEVEL, STEEP DESCENT WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE ACFT WAS OBSCURED FROM VIEW BY RAIN & FOG. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1/4 MI EAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 7. THE FLAP ACTUATOR WAS IN THE MECHANICAL POSITION CORRESPONDING TO A 40 DEG FLAP SETTING.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,047 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 930 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00A Stone Mountain GA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: 00A Stone Mountain GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PDK, 20 miles away
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.
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.