Cessna 172N accident near Atlanta, Georgia, April 22, 1995
On April 22, 1995 at about 3:09 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N3220E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO A DRUG, VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OBSTACLE (TOWERING SMOKE STACK). FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1995 · about 3:09 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3220E · no longer on the register · serial 17271474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING. DURING THE BRIEFING, HE WAS ADVISED OF APPROACHING RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, TOWER PERSONNEL ASKED HIM IF HE WAS AWARE OF A SIGMET THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTA AREA; THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE WAS. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE DEPARTED NORTHEAST BOUND ON A VFR FLIGHT TO RALEIGH, NC. WITNESSES AT AN ELECTRICAL PLANT HEARD A SMALL AIRCRAFT FLYING IN THE AREA BEFORE THEY HEARD THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE PLANT'S CONCRETE SMOKE STACK. THEY THEN OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING OUT OF THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS. THE LEFT WING WAS FOLDED BACK AGAINST THE FUSELAGE, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPINNING AS IT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND. THE SMOKE STACK WAS ABOUT 880' TALL, AND ITS TOP WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ABOUT 75' FROM THE TOP OF THE SMOKE STACK. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED 0.005 MCG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL AND 0.011 MCG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (METABOLITES OF MARIJUANA).
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: 135 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,514 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1995; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTY GA at 2:50 pm
- Destination: RDU Raleigh NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:01 pm from FTY, 4 miles away
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.