Amateur-built BIRD A accident near Senoia, Georgia, November 17, 2024
On November 17, 2024 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1935 amateur-built BIRD A, registered N15641, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Senoia, Georgia (Big "T" Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2024 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Senoia, Georgia · Big "T" Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BIRD A, built 1935
- Registration
- N15641 · registry record · serial 1000
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the antique, bi-wing, tailwheel airplane stated that he was flying locally when he landed hard on the grass runway. The left landing gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the upper left wing and lower right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,990 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 7,463 as pilot in command; 489 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 19, 2024
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 160 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 1, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner B54 (piston); 5 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from FFC, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFFC 171853Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 21/09 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP203 T02060089
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 20, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 ERA25LA055.