Cessna 172N N3220E

Summary

On 22 April 1995 at about 15:09 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N3220E, operated by Little, Daniel A., was involved in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1995 at 15:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

33.7405, -84.5699

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N3220E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Little, Daniel A.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Raleigh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL95FA088

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO A DRUG, VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE OBSTACLE (TOWERING SMOKE STACK). FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING. DURING THE BRIEFING, HE WAS ADVISED OF APPROACHING RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, TOWER PERSONNEL ASKED HIM IF HE WAS AWARE OF A SIGMET THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE ATLANTA AREA; THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE WAS. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE DEPARTED NORTHEAST BOUND ON A VFR FLIGHT TO RALEIGH, NC. WITNESSES AT AN ELECTRICAL PLANT HEARD A SMALL AIRCRAFT FLYING IN THE AREA BEFORE THEY HEARD THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE PLANT'S CONCRETE SMOKE STACK. THEY THEN OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING OUT OF THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS. THE LEFT WING WAS FOLDED BACK AGAINST THE FUSELAGE, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPINNING AS IT CRASHED INTO THE GROUND. THE SMOKE STACK WAS ABOUT 880' TALL, AND ITS TOP WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ABOUT 75' FROM THE TOP OF THE SMOKE STACK. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED 0.005 MCG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL AND 0.011 MCG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (METABOLITES OF MARIJUANA).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.