Piper PA-30 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, May 17, 1983
On May 17, 1983, a Piper PA-30, registered N8450Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Fulton CO. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- May 17, 1983
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Fulton CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8450Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE EXTENDED THE GEAR, GOT A SAFE GEAR DOWN INDICATION & MADE AN APPROACH WITH THE FLAPS RETRACTED. THE GEAR WARNING WAS NOT HEARD. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER THE ACFT ROLLED ABOUT 1500 FT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AND WITH ALL 3 GEAR ON THE SURFACE, THE RIGHT WING WAS SEEN & FELT TO DROP UNTIL THE RIGHT PROPELLER CONTACTED THE RWY. A MECHANIC (FBO EMPLOYEE) OBSERVED THE ACFT LAND & NOTED THE APPROACH WAS STABLE, THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN & THE FLAPS WERE UP. HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, THE ACFT STARTED TO ROLL OUT, THEN 'HOPPED A LITTLE, LIKE HE PULLED BACK.' THE MECHANIC SAID THE 'DOORS CLOSED, LOOKED LIKE GEAR WENT UP & LOCKED, WENT DOWN & SLID ON ITS BELLY.' AN FAA INSPECTOR FOUND THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN, THE FLAPS UP & OBSERVED NO CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE POPPED. DAMAGE WAS FOUND IN THE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION/RETRACTION SYS, BUT NO PREIMPACT FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,426 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 30, 1983; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tomahawk Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ABY Albany GA at 11:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,158 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:49 pm from FTY
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.