Piper PA-28-181 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, February 16, 2023
On February 16, 2023 at about 7:31 pm local time, a 1983 Piper PA-28-181, registered N103AV, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Atlanta, Georgia (Dekalb-Peachtree airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to effectively utilize carburetor heat, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during initial climb due to carburetor ice that formed during the engine run-up and taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2023 · about 7:31 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Dekalb-Peachtree · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181, built 1983 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N103AV · registry record · serial 28-8390084
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before takeoff, the student pilot and flight instructor performed a preflight inspection and an engine run-up that included checking the carburetor heat before taxiing the airplane into position; they noted no anomalies. After takeoff, about 200 ft above ground level, the engine lost total power. The flight instructor initiated a left turn and the airplane impacted the ground near a parallel runway, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide (idle) engine power settings. Furthermore, the engine data monitor indicated that the carburetor temperature decreased to 38°F just before the loss of engine power. Thus, it is likely that during the taxi and engine run-up, a period during which the engine would typically be operating at low power, carburetor ice formed and subsequently resulted in a total loss of engine power during the initial climb.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during emergency descent
- Fuel related during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Decision related to condition
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 557.7 hours in all; 113 in this make and model; 115.6 in the last 90 days; 42.4 in the last 30 days; 496.5 as pilot in command; 92.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 22, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,761.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 10,208 hours total
- Operator: Centennial Aviation Academy INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3R, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; a few clouds
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:44 pm from PDK, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPDK 161944Z 19008KT 10SM BKN045 OVC060 23/14 A3000 RMK AO2 T02280144
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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 ERA23LA127.