Piper PA-44-180 accident near Kennesaw, Georgia, March 19, 1992
On March 19, 1992 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N21040, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kennesaw, Georgia (Cobb County airport). It was an instructional 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 DUAL STUDENT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. FACTORS WERE: WIND GUSTS, WIND SHEAR AND TURBULENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1992 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kennesaw, Georgia · Cobb County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N21040 · no longer on the register · serial 44-7995037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL DUAL STUDENT AND CFI WERE PERFORMING A VISUAL APPROACH. THE STUDENT WAS AT THE CONTROLS AND IN THE LEFT SEAT. THEY WERE AWARE OF WIND SHEAR ALERTS AT A NEARBY AIRPORT, AND MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS OBSERVED ON FINAL APPROACH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. AT ABOUT 30 FEET AGL, THE NOSE DROPPED SHARPLY. BOTH PILOTS INITIATED A GO AROUND, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PILOTS REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 796 hours in all; 388 in this make and model; 267 in the last 90 days; 118 in the last 30 days; 533 as pilot in command; 467 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,044 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 6, 1992; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airline Trans. Prof. CORP. USA
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Atlanta GA at 11:20 pm
- Runway 27, 5,105 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.