Beech F33A accident near Chamblee, Georgia, March 26, 1991
On March 26, 1991 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N7224L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia (Peachtree-Dekalb airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE HOLE IN THE AIRPORT TAXIWAY, WHICH WAS CREATED BY THE EROSION OF SOIL BENEATH THE TAXIWAY, AND THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPORT TO INSPECT AND MAINTAIN DITCHES WHICH RUN BENEATH THE RUNWAYS AND TAXIWAYS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1991 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · Peachtree-Dekalb
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N7224L · registry record · serial CE1057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAXI TO TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT LANDING GEAR SANK INTO A HOLE IN THE TAXIWAY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE DIRT COVERING A STORM DRAINAGE PIPE BENEATH THE TAXIWAY HAD ERODED, LEAVING A VOID OF APPROXIMATELY 6 FEET IN DIAMETER AND 12 FEET IN DEPTH. THE LANDING GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT PUNCTURED THE ASPHALT COVERING THE HOLE AND SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,719 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 1,536 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CUB Columbia SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:50 pm from PDK, 1 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.