Piper PA-28-140 accident near Stone Mountain, Georgia, September 5, 1993
On September 5, 1993 at about 1:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6312W, was destroyed in an accident near Stone Mountain, Georgia (Britt Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT STABILATOR DURING THE TAKEOFF, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTANT STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) LOCATED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1993 · about 1:58 pm local time
- Place
- Stone Mountain, Georgia · Britt Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6312W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20371
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TAKING OFF ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT OVER-ROTATED, AND INITIALLY CLIMBED AT A VERY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT NARROWLY CLEARED TALL TREES LOCATED AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED INTO THE TREES AND CRASHED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT MAXIMUM TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTATION OF A CURRENT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK; HE HAD LOGGED ONLY 19 HOURS OF FLYING TIME IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, AND HAD NOT LOGGED ANY FLIGHT TIME IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS.
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
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 307 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,284 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: NONE Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 2,806 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from ATL, 19 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.