Aircraft Mfg & Development CO CH 2000 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, January 5, 2017
On January 5, 2017 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2002 Aircraft Mfg & Development CO CH 2000, registered N683AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Atlanta, Georgia (Cobb County International Airp airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while attempting a short-field takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2017 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Cobb County International Airp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aircraft Mfg & Development CO CH 2000 UNDESIGNAT, built 2002 · all CH 2000s on the register
- Registration
- N683AM · registry record · serial 20-1006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot attempted a short-field takeoff procedure, and air traffic control tower personnel observed the airplane about 200 ft above ground level about 900 ft from the beginning of the runway. The airplane then drifted left, descended, and impacted trees. Although the pilot subsequently reported a loss of engine power and climb performance, a test run of the engine following the accident revealed no anomalies. The pilot had an approximate 5-year gap in flying experience and had not completed a flight review, although he reported about 21 hours of flight experience in the 90 days preceding the accident. He reported a total flight experience of 143.3 hours, of which 59 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. It is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack while attempting a short-field takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low to recover.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 143 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,586 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2016; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,692 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 1,586 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Atlanta GA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: RYY Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,295 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from RYY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA17LA078.