Cessna 208B and Beech 58 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, June 5, 1987
On June 5, 1987 at about 10:44 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 208B (N917FE) and Beech 58 (N1653W), were involved in the same accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Wms.B Hartsfield Atl Intl). No one was hurt; 3 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
- June 5, 1987 · about 10:44 am local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Wms.B Hartsfield Atl Intl
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N917FE · no longer on the register · serial 208B00117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N1653W · no longer on the register · serial TH-252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 208B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ACFT COLLIDED ON A RAMP WHILE EACH WAS TAXIING TO RWY 8L FOR T/O. BOTH ACFT WERE AUTHORIZED BY ATC TO TAXI TO THE RWY; THE CESSNA WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO FOLLOW THE BEECH. THE TWO ACFT WERE HDG IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION ON CONVERGING PATHS WHEN THEY COLLIDED; THE RIGHT-REAR SIDE OF THE CESSNA FUSELAGE STRUCK THE BEECH LEFT-WING TIP. EXAMINATION OF THE IMPACT DAMAGE INDICATED THAT THE CESSNA WAS OVERTAKING THE BEECH WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE BEECH PLT REPORTED SEEING THE CESSNA OVERTAKING HIM AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED MOMENTS BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE CESSNA PLT REPORTED THAT HE NEVER SAW THE BEECH PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE CESSNA WAS CONFIGURED FOR CARG0-CARRYING AND HAD NO WINDOWS INSTALLED AFT OF THE COCKPIT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech 58 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TWO ACFT COLLIDED ON A RAMP WHILE EACH WAS TAXIING TO RWY 8L FOR T/O. BOTH ACFT WERE AUTHORIZED BY ATC TO TAXI TO THE RWY; THE CESSNA WAS INSTRUCTED BY ATC TO FOLLOW THE BEECH. THE TWO ACFT WERE HDG IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION ON CONVERGING PATHS WHEN THEY COLLIDED; THE RIGHT-REAR SIDE OF THE CESSNA FUSELAGE STRUCK THE BEECH LEFT-WING TIP. EXAMINATION OF THE IMPACT DAMAGE INDICATED THAT THE CESSNA WAS OVERTAKING THE BEECH WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. THE BEECH PLT REPORTED SEEING THE CESSNA OVERTAKING HIM AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED MOMENTS BEFORE THE COLLISION. THE CESSNA PLT REPORTED THAT HE NEVER SAW THE BEECH PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE CESSNA WAS CONFIGURED FOR CARGO-CARRYING AND HAD NO WINDOWS INSTALLED AFT OF THE COCKPIT.
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 for the Cessna 208B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 16,872 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 20, 1987; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mountain Air Cargo
The flight
- Destination: ABY Albany GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from ATL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 58 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,430 hours in all; 289 in this make and model; 282 in the last 90 days; 1,875 as pilot in command; 643 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,840 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 4, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New Creations,Inc.
The flight
- Destination: MSY New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
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.