Douglas C54A-DC accident near Griffin, GA
On April 4, 1997, a Douglas C54A-DC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Griffin, GA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 4, 1997
- Place
- Griffin, GA
- Aircraft
- Douglas C54A-DC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.241°N, 84.269°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07659
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 4, 1997, about 0016 eastern standard time, a Douglas C54A-DC, N83FA, collided with a commercial building during takeoff from the Griffin-Spalding County Airport, in Griffin, Georgia. The airplane was operated by Custom Air Service under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the positioning flight. The airline transport pilot-in-command, and the commercial second pilot, were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by ground fire. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, en-route to Americus, Georgia, to pick up a load of automobile parts for transfer to Rockford, Illinois. A pilot/mechanic associated with the operation of the airplane observed its start, taxi, run up, and takeoff. He stated that he always looked at the elevator to see if the controls were locked, and noted that the elevator was "down" as the airplane taxied. He reported that the engine run up was accomplished on all four engines with no discernible problem. During the airplane's takeoff roll on runway 14, the main landing gear strut was observed to partially extend as the airplane "became light on the landing gear." Then the witness noted that the color of the #1 exhaust flame changed from blue to yellow, accompanied by an audible change in the engine power level. The nose of the airplane yawed left and the left wing dipped. This occurred when the airplane was about 3/4 down the 3,700 foot runway. When the airplane passed his position adjacent to the runwa
Probable cause
The flightcrew's inadequate procedures, during a rejected takeoff following a possible engine malfunction at a critical time in the takeoff, and the second pilot's physical impairment.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
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- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Apr 20, 1982
Browse: Georgia · Douglas aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
