Embraer EMB-110-P1 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, May 20, 1985
On May 20, 1985 at about 1:35 am local time, a Embraer EMB-110-P1, registered N903FB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Hartsfield Atlanta Int'L). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 7 people were 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 20, 1985 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Hartsfield Atlanta Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-110-P1 · all EMB-110-P1s on the register
- Registration
- N903FB · no longer on the register · serial 110-404
- 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
THE ACFT WAS ON FINAL APCH WHEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PIC FAILED TO VERIFY WHICH CB TRIPPED AND ASSUMED IT WAS THE GEAR CONTROL CB. PIC THEN ACTIVATED EMERG HYDRAULIC SYS AND MANUALLY LOWERED THE GEAR. AFTER LANDING THE HYDRAULIC SELECTOR WAS LEFT IN THE EMERG POSITION WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOE BRAKES HAVING ONLY NORMAL ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE. NORMAL ACCUMULATOR PRESSURE WAS DEPLETED AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED ACFT ON THE RAMP. THE PIC FAILED TO APPLY PARKING BRAKE EVEN THOUGH THE PARKING BRAKE EMERG ECCUMULATOR HAD SUFFICIENT HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. THE INITIAL TRIPPED CB WAS FOR THE LANDING GEAR WARNING SYS AND NOT THE GEAR CONTROL.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,858 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 18, 1985; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,007 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Johnson City TN
- Destination: ATL Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from ATL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.