American FALCON XP accident near Palmetto, Georgia, October 11, 1987
On October 11, 1987 at about 11:30 pm local time, a American FALCON XP, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N377AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmetto, Georgia (South Fulton Sky Port 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
- October 11, 1987 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palmetto, Georgia · South Fulton Sky Port · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American FALCON XP, amateur-built
- Registration
- N377AA · registry record · serial 600136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY FLARE THE AIRCRAFT DURING A NORMAL LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED FROM OVERLOAD, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT AS IT SLID OVER THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS REPORTED.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 152 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 1987; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,690 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.