Piper PA-24-250 N7681P

Summary

On 25 November 1989 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7681P was involved in an accident near Helen, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 November 1989 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Helen, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

34.7007, -83.7206

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N7681P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Muncie → Athens

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90FA031

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT AND PLAN EN ROUTE REFUELING STOPS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE IN CRUISE ALTITUDE EN ROUTE TO ATHENS, GA THE ENGINE QUIT. THE FLIGHT WAS LAST OBSERVED BY HUNTERS LOW OVERHEAD PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH TREES. THE WITNESS DID NOT HEAR THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE COLLISION SEPARATED THE WING STRUCTURE AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INVERTED IN THE WOODS. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FLIGHT ROUTE INDICATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL. EN ROUTE ATTENTION TO ACTUAL FLIGHT TIME WOULD HAVE ALERTED THE PILOT OF THE NEED TO REFUEL PRIOR TO ATHENS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.