Piper PA-24 accident near Danielsville, Georgia, December 24, 1989
On December 24, 1989 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N5556P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danielsville, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION/PLANNING BY THE PILOT, BY NOT ASSURING AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. RELATED FACTORS WERE: A FALSE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION, TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA, AND FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR TO EXTEND (FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1989 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Danielsville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N5556P · registry record · serial 24620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DRG FLT, HE NOTED A SLIGHT ODOR OF FUEL & OPENED THE VENTS TO ALLOW FRESH AIR IN THE CABIN. AS HE WAS ARRIVING TO LAND AT THE DESTN ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 2200' AGL. HE SELECTED AN EMERG LANDING AREA. AFTER ASSURING CLNC OVER TREES, HE TRIED TO EXTD THE LNDG GEAR WITH THE NORMAL (ELEC) EXTN SYS, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE STARTED TO USE THE EMERG GEAR EXTN SYS, BUT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME, SO HE MADE A WHEELS UP LNDG. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HIS INSTRUMENTS SHOWED FUEL WAS STILL REMAINING WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER; HOWEVER, NO USABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT AFTER THE ACDNT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS 'TOPPED OFF' WITH FUEL BEFORE THE FLT & HE ESTIMATED 11.7 GAL OF FUEL OR MORE WOULD BE REMAINING WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE DESTN. THE ACFT'S FUEL CAPACITY WAS 60 GAL WITH THE TANKS FILLED TO THE TOP OF THE FILLER NECKS. RPRTDLY, THE FUEL SYS WOULD HAVE HAD ABOUT 10 GAL LESS THAN A FULL LOAD, IF THE TANKS HAD BEEN FILLED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FILLER NECKS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 671 hours in all; 19 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,160 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Coldwater MI at 5:45 pm
- Destination: Athens GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.