Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, November 29, 1983
On November 29, 1983 at about 12:33 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N16AK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Fulton County Brown Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- November 29, 1983 · about 12:33 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Fulton County Brown Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N16AK · registry record · serial 28R-7435286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER GOMPLETING A PREFLT, THE PLT ENTERED THE ACFT & ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENG WITH THE STARTER & ON BOARD BATTERY. HE STATED THAT THE ENG TURNED SLOWLY & WOULD NOT START. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A NORMAL START, THE PLT EXITED THE ACFT, CHOCKED THE NOSEWHEEL & PROCEED TO HAND PROP THE ENG. HE STATED THAT HE WAS PROPPING THE ENG FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING THE OIL TO CIRCULATE & TO PRIME THE ENG. WHILE PROPPING THE ENG, IT STARTED & THE ACFT ROLLED OVER THE CHOCK. THE PLT TRIED TO STOP THE ACFT, BUT IT COLLIDED WITH 2 BUILDINGS, DAMAGING THE ACFT, THE BUILDINGS & A DESK INSIDE 1 OF THE BUILDINGS. THE MASTER SWITCH & MAGNETO SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN TURNED OFF BEFORE HE PROPPED THE ENG.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,480 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 3,250 as pilot in command; 1,390 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1983; 288 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: FAA Employees Flying Club
The flight
- Destination: POB Pope Afb NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:49 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.