Piper PA-28-140 accident near East Ellijay, Georgia, March 29, 1990
On March 29, 1990 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N55864, was destroyed in an accident near East Ellijay, Georgia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1990 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- East Ellijay, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55864 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325509
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED, AND HAD NOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE FLIGHT. THE WEATHER IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS FORECAST TO BE OCCASSIONALLY BELOW THAT REQUIRED FOR FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. THE FORECAST ALSO CALLED FOR MOUNTAINS TO BE OCCASSIONALLY OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AND RAIN. THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND WAS ADVISED THAT FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES IN THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET.
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: 174 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 54A Perry GA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: JVY Jeffersonville IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft; scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from CHA, 55 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.