Piper PA-24-250 accident near Helen, Georgia, November 25, 1989
On November 25, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7681P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Helen, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT AND PLAN EN ROUTE REFUELING STOPS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Helen, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7681P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2854
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE ALTITUDE EN ROUTE TO ATHENS, GA THE ENGINE QUIT. THE FLIGHT WAS LAST OBSERVED BY HUNTERS LOW OVERHEAD PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH TREES. THE WITNESS DID NOT HEAR THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE COLLISION SEPARATED THE WING STRUCTURE AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INVERTED IN THE WOODS. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FLIGHT ROUTE INDICATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL. EN ROUTE ATTENTION TO ACTUAL FLIGHT TIME WOULD HAVE ALERTED THE PILOT OF THE NEED TO REFUEL PRIOR TO ATHENS.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A105 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEI Muncie IN at 4:00 pm
- Destination: AHN Athens GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 550 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from AHN, 50 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.
Other NTSB records under N7681P 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.