Camair Aircraft Corp. 480 accident near Cumming, Georgia, June 20, 1984
On June 20, 1984 at about 3:44 pm local time, a Camair Aircraft Corp. 480, registered N231, was destroyed in an accident near Cumming, Georgia (Downing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- June 20, 1984 · about 3:44 pm local time
- Place
- Cumming, Georgia · Downing
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Camair Aircraft Corp. 480
- Registration
- N231 · registry record · serial I-067
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT CROSSED A HIGHWAY AFTER TAKING OFF, ENTERED A LEFT TURN, DESCENDED & PULLED BACK UP, THEN WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED. ONE WITNESS INDICATED THAT THE ACFT ENTERED A SPIN PRIOR TO CRASHING. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED EVIDENCE THAT THE RIGHT ENG WAS PROVIDING POWER. THE LEFT PROP WAS FOUND IN A FEATHERED POSITION, BUT THE COCKPIT CONTROLS WERE NOT POSITIONED TO FEATHER THE LEFT PROP. AN EXAM OF THE LEFT ENG REVEALED THAT THE #5 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE HAD ORIGINATED IN AN AREA WHERE THE ROD HAD BEEN BENT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS COLUMN BENDING OF THE ROD (POSSIBLY FROM A HYDROSTATIC LOCK). THE LEFT PRIMER WAS FOUND BROKEN.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1984; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,323 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6GA0
- Destination: 5GA4 Woodstock GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:57 pm from PDK, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N231 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.