Piper PA-32-260 accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia, October 28, 1986
On October 28, 1986 at about 6:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3285W, was destroyed in an accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia (Gwinnett CO airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- October 28, 1986 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Georgia · Gwinnett CO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3285W · no longer on the register · serial 32-116
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 20 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE CRUISING AT 6500', THE ENG LOST POWER. RPRTDLY, THE ENG WENT TO EITHER IDLE OR A WIND-MILLING COND & THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO. THE PLT TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG BY USING EMERG PROCEDURES, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE INITIALLY TRIED TO CONTACT ATLANTA APCH CTL (SATELLITE RADAR-P POSITION/SAT-P) WHEN THE ACFT WAS APRX 12 MI NW OF GWINNETT CO ARPT; HOWEVER, HE HAD DIFFICULTY MAKING RDO CONTACT. AFTER CONTACT WAS MADE, HE DECLARED A 'MAYDAY SITUATION,' & 47 SEC LATER, HE WAS PROVIDED A VECTOR TO THE ARPT & WAS ADVISED IT WAS 7 MI AHEAD. SVRL SUBSEQUENTLY RDO CALLS WERE BLOCKED BY OTHER ACFT USING THE SAME FREQ. WHEN THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE ARPT, HE STARTED A TURN TOLND ON A ROAD, BUT THE ACFT HIT A TREE, THEN CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE & HOUSE & BURNED. NEARBY PERSONS REMOVED THE OCCUPANTS FM THE ACFT, BUT THE ACFT, HOUSE & 2 CARS WERE BADLY BURNED. NO REASON WAS FND FOR LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE & ENGPOWER. DOWNING & MATHIS AIRSTRIPS WERE LOCATED APRX 15 & 12 MI NW OF GWINNETT CO ARPT, APRX 3 MI RGT OF ACFT'S FLT PATH.
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: 102 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 49A Ellijay GA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 54A Perry GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from PDK, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.