Piper PA-31T1 accident near Chamblee, Georgia, February 19, 1990
On February 19, 1990, a Piper PA-31T1, registered N222GW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia (Dekalb Peachtree airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LANDING FLARE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1990
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · Dekalb Peachtree · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T1 · all PA-31T1s on the register
- Registration
- N222GW · registry record · serial 31T-7904050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACH IN IMC, THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, WHICH COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE WINDSCREEN HAD BECOME FOGGED DURING THE APPROACH. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDSCREEN DEFROSTING SYSTEM WAS NOT USED, AND THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. BECAUSE OF THE FOGGED WINDSCREEN, THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LANDING SINK RATE, AND FAILED TO FLARE PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,404 hours in all; 281 in this make and model; 6,266 as pilot in command; 7,540 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,232 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 9, 1990; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT-6-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GRD Greenwood SC at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20L, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.