Cessna 560 accident near Atlanta, Georgia, December 11, 2024
On December 11, 2024 at about 7:30 am local time, a 1998 Cessna 560, registered N981AG, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Atlanta, Georgia (Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta Int). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The vehicle driver’s inadequate visual lookout while driving on a non-licensed vehicle roadway in restricted visibility conditions, which resulted in a collision with a taxiing airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2024 · about 7:30 am local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta Int · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 560, built 1998 · all 560s on the register
- Registration
- N981AG · registry record · serial 560-0466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew of the business jet was taxiing from the ramp to the runway at night after receiving their departure clearance. As they transitioned from the ramp area to the taxiway, they were crossing a non-licensed vehicle roadway (NLVR). A vehicle traveling along the NLVR collided with the nose of the airplane, substantially damaging the forward portion of the fuselage. The driver of the vehicle stated that she was aware of the signage requiring vehicles to yield to aircraft, and that when she didn’t see an aircraft as she approached the intersection, she continued to drive. She further described that it was dark and raining, but not foggy, and that it was difficult to see. She did not realize that the vehicle had struck the airplane until after the collision, and when she looked back after coming to a stop, she saw the airplane and its illuminated wingtip lights. She further stated that she had not anticipated encountering an airplane at that time of the morning, had become complacent, and that she should have been more observant.
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
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Rain › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Ground crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,304 hours in all; 699 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,777 as pilot in command; 1,018 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 20, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,712 hours in all; 2,405 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 5,431 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,489 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 24, 2024; 142 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W JT15D-5D (turbofan); 15,995 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W JT15D-5D (turbofan); 16,017 hours total
- Operator: Aitheras Aviation Group, LLC
The flight
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 2:43 am from ATL, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KATL 110743Z 23009KT 4SM RA BR SCT007 BKN012 OVC019 17/16 A2978 RMK AO2 P0007 T01670156
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA25LA073.