Embraer EMB-120 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, July 14, 1987
On July 14, 1987 at about 2:15 am local time, a Embraer EMB-120, registered N211AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia (Fulton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- July 14, 1987 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Fulton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-120 · all EMB-120s on the register
- Registration
- N211AS · registry record · serial 120007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMUTER AIRLINE PILOT COMPETENCY/PROFICIENCY CHECK FLIGHT WAS PROGRESSING NORMALLY, ACCORDING TO THE CREW, UNTIL THE SOUND OF THE PROPELLERS CONTACTING THE RUNWAY INTERRUPTED THE ROUTINE. NO MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, OR HYDRAULIC PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE CHECK AIRMAN SET UP MULTIPLE SIMULATIONS OF POWERPLANT, INSTRUMENTATION, AND LIFT CONTROL DEVICE MALFUNCTIONS DURING THIS APPROACH. THESE DISTRACTIONS, ALONG WITH EXTENDED BRIEFINGS ON HOW TO HANDLE THE UNUSUAL CONFIGURATION DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, DISRUPTED THE CREWS ROUTINE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,508 hours in all; 1,031 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,760 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,353 lb
- Seats: 32
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW115 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlantic Southeast Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ATL Atlanta GA at 1:55 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:23 am from FTY
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 N211AS 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.