Hispano Aviacion HA-200-Saeta accident near Perry, Georgia, May 5, 2002
On May 5, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Hispano Aviacion HA-200-Saeta, registered N2000G, was destroyed in an accident near Perry, Georgia (Perry-Houston County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain airspeed while performing a turn at a low altitude, which resulted in a inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Perry, Georgia · Perry-Houston County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hispano Aviacion HA-200-Saeta · all HA-200-Saetas on the register
- Registration
- N2000G · no longer on the register · serial E-14A-13
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident airplane was an uncertificated Hispano Aviacion model HA200 Saeta, Spanish military jet airplane, manufactured in 1962, serial number was E-14A-13. An FAA Inspector who responded to the accident stated that the pilot had not been granted a Special Airworthiness certificate permitting it to be flown, because there were yet outstanding items that remained to be performed in order to satisfy FAA requirements. A witness stated that the airplane had been operating normally other than for the brakes, and the pilot who was also an FAA licensed mechanic, took off, intending to taxi the airplane to see if the repairs he had done to the brakes had been successful in correcting "a pull" to the right that had been occurring when taxiing the airplane. The witness further stated that the pilot had said he would taxi down the runway and apply the brakes to ensure they worked properly, and if everything was normal he would probably take off, stay in the traffic pattern, and land. The witness stated he observed the takeoff to the north, and saw the airplane in the traffic pattern, but rather than landing, the airplane continued south, away from the airport. Another witness who lived close to the airport stated that he was reading on his patio, as the airplane passed over his property, and he saw it was low over the trees, and it did not sound as if the engine was operating efficiently. He said that he saw the airplane make a sharp turn to the left, very low over the trees, and descend. At that time he said he realized the airplane was in trouble so he telephone 911 emergency to report the accident and then got his fire extinguisher, entered his car, and drove to the scene, where he observed two large trees burning, the airplane engulfed in flames, and the ground was covered in fuel. According to an FAA inspector who responded to the accident, a third witness stated that he observed the airplane while it was flying southbound it did not sound as if it was operating properly. The inspector further stated that the witness told him that it sounded as if the engine was not generating power and he saw it about a 20 to 30 degrees nose high attitude. The inspector said the witness said the airplane was in the vicinity of a big open field with plenty of room in either direction, and he saw the landing gear extend and then retract, followed by the airplane entering about a 90 degree "knife edged" turn to the left, as if trying to return to the airport when it descended, impacting the ground. The inspector said that when the airplane impacted the ground it impacted at a steep angle and the wreckage was engulfed in flames. He said that the damage precluded him from making any determination of whether there had been any mechanical failure or malfunction. The pilot had accumulated a total of about 3,400 flight hours, of with about 12 hours were in the accident airplane.
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 instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 760 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 31, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 7,284 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Turbomeca Turbo Marbore (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PXE Perry GA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MCN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N2000G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.