Piper PA-24 accident near Cartersville, Georgia, May 3, 1990
On May 3, 1990 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N7868P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cartersville, 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE ENGINE FUEL MIXTURE CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1990 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cartersville, 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
- N7868P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED & FLOWN 2.7 HOURS FROM PANAMA CITY FL TO NASHVILLE TN 11 DAYS PRIOR. THE PILOT SAID HE KEPT THE MIXTURE RICH UNTIL THE LAST HOUR OF THE FLIGHT. WITHOUT REFUELING HE LEFT NASHVILLE FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT TO CHAMBLEE GA. ONE HOUR AFTER TAKE OFF BOTH TANKS WENT DRY AT THE SAME TIME, THE PILOT SAID. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO FUEL REMAINED IN THE AIRPLANE.
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: 1,240 hours in all; 739 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,235 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,514 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JWN Nashville TN at 3:15 pm
- Destination: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.