Amateur-built A 26 Vulcan SS accident near Newnan, Georgia, December 7, 2001
On December 7, 2001 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built A 26 Vulcan SS, registered N6129F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newnan, Georgia (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and go-around, resulting in a collision with a runway perimeter fence pole and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2001 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Newnan, Georgia · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built A 26 Vulcan SS
- Registration
- N6129F · no longer on the register · serial SA26-002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to eyewitnesses to the landing, the twin Rotax powered, pusher configured, 2-place light experimental aircraft's landing touchdown occurred about 130 feet down the 600-foot private grass runway. After touchdown, the left wing dropped, and a small puff of dust was observed under the left wing as in something dragging concurrently with commencement of a left drift. A go around attempt was heard and observed, and the left wing collided with a fence pole on the left runway edge at about 336 feet down the runway. Following the fence pole collision, the aircraft continued left until small tree collision with the right wing caused a right yaw and a secondary severe, sideward collision between a large tree and the cockpit left side. The day before, the pilot experienced a similar loss of runway directional control and, via an e-mail to a friend following the occurrence, attributed it to either not having both main landing gear firmly on the runway before application of wheel braking, or the difference in wheel-to-surface friction properties while braking. Postcrash examination of the main wheel brakes revealed no locked up condition.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 5, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Newnan GA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 600 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:20 pm from CCO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.