Piper J5A accident near Atlanta, Georgia, September 7, 2008
On September 7, 2008 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper J5A, registered N105F, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Atlanta, Georgia (Fulton County Airport). It was a banner-towing 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of pitch control due to slippage of the elevator control cable resulting from the maintenance personnel’s improper installation and inspection of the cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2008 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia · Fulton County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N105F · registry record · serial 5-477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a banner-pick up maneuver, the pilot “heard and felt a pop from the elevator cable.” The airplane leveled off with the flight control stick in the full-aft position, and the elevator was in the neutral position. The airplane continued in an uncontrollable slight descent into a rough field where the airplane impacted with the ground. Wreckage examination revealed the cable for the elevator's, pitch-up control, located at the lower end of the control stick through the attaching thimble, had slipped through the cable oval sleeve swage. Examination by the NTSB Material Laboratory of the swage revealed the incorrect grooves on the hand tool was used to crimp the swage. The operator was not utilizing a “go–no go” gauge to insure proper crimping of the oval sleeve swage. Several airplanes in the operator’s 27 airplane fleet had flight control cable fabricated and replaced by their maintenance personnel. The operator grounded its fleet and conducted an inspection of flight control cable assemblies. A total of 36 flight control cable swages and 41 flight control cables were required to be replaced.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Post maintenance inspection › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator control system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator control system › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 909 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 290 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 26, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,490 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 2008; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Van Wagner Aerial Media LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FTY Atlanta FL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: FTY Atlanta FL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FTY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.