N7317A

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 7, 1999, at 1054 eastern standard time, a Cessna 210N, N7317A, collided with the ground and burst into flames while maneuvering for an emergency landing at the Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), in Chamblee, Georgia. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed, and the private pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Dekalb-Peachtree Airport, Chamblee, Georgia, at 1045.

At 1031:41, the pilot of N7317A first contacted the PDK ground controller requesting taxi clearance for a northbound VFR departure. The pilot was instructed to taxi to runway 2L. At 1041:55, the pilot was instructed to contact the tower local controller. The pilot called the local controller at 1042:33, and was cleared for takeoff on runway 2L. He requested a straight-out departure, which was approved. At 1047:18, the pilot called PDK tower and stated that he would like to return to the airport. The controller responded, "airplane one seven alpha do you need any assistance are you just coming back inbound." The pilot stated that he was "coming back inbound" and gave no indication of a problem. At 1048:47, the local controller received a partially blocked transmission: "...I've got smoke in the cockpit and the gear won't go down." The controller then asked, "and who has smoke in the cockpit and the gear won't go down." The pilot of N7317A responded with his call sign, and the local controller then offered a straight-in approach to runway 20L. At 1049:01, the pilot replied, "two zero left, thank you."

At 1049:14, the controller told the pilot that the airport was at his twelve o'clock position and 4 miles, and the pilot replied "I have it." At 1049:46, the controller told the pilot that it looked like he was heading more toward the south and asked if he wanted to change to a left base for runway 20L or change to runway 27. The pilot replied that he wanted to do a right base entry to the pattern for runway 2R. At 1050:35, the pilot reported that he didn't think the gear was down. The local controller replied, "airplane one seven alpha roger, and say your request." The pilot then transmitted, "uh, I think I would like to get the gear down and I still got this smoke." The controller asked if the pilot would like to do a fly-by to check [the gear] and asked, "...and you don't have the smoke any more?" At 1050:57, the pilot replied, "yes I do I just have the window open." The controller acknowledged and transmitted, "uh and if you want to do a fly-by on [runway] two right to check for the gear." The pilot responded, "ok will do."

At 1051:36, the local controller stated, "...you're just doing a short base for runway two right are you going to make inbound [for runway] three four." The pilot replied that he was going to fly down runway 2R and let the controllers look at the gear. At 1051:51, the local controller said, "airplane one seven alpha the gear appears down say your request." At this point, the airplane was still on the right base leg. The pilot replied, "I'll land if it (the gear) looks down (pause) looks to feels up to me." There were no further transmissions from the pilot for the remainder of the flight.

At 1052:03, the controller cleared the pilot to land on runway 2R, reporting the wind as three two zero degrees at three knots. At 1052:29, the controller transmitted, "airplane one seven alpha it does not I'm not sure whether the gear is down. Go-around." At 1052:39, the controller advised the pilot that one landing gear was not down. At 1052:48, the controller stated, "airplane one seven alpha it did not look like it was locked in place I do see smoke coming from the cockpit and say your request." An unknown pilot on frequency then told the controller to, "tell the pilot of N17A to pull the gear circuit breaker cause he probably has got a gear problem with the electric pump." The controller transmitted, "airplane one seven alpha did you copy that" but received no response.

According to the tower controllers, after the go-around from runway 2R, the airplane made a right 270 degree turn and approached runway 27 as if to attempt a landing. At 1053:10, the local controller said, "airplane one seven alpha and your uh there are just vehicles on two seven can you go around." At 1053:27, the controller again stated that there were vehicles on the runway. At 1053:32, the controller said, "airplane one seven alpha if you could make a left turn back in for two left or the vehicles are now off the runway cleared to land any runway wind three six zero at five." At 1053:45, the ground controller transmitted "alert three alert three" (local terminology for an airplane accident on the airport). The airplane collided with the ground and burst into flames between runways 2L and 2R, just south of taxiway F. The fire trucks and firefighters arrived within an estimated 10 seconds but were unable to rescue the pilot.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument ratings. His total flight time was 785 hours and the approximately flying time in the Cessna 210 was not determined. The pilot held a current third class medical certificate, dated August 26, 1998, valid when wearing corrective lens for far and distant vision.

The PDK Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) Cab Coordinator entered on duty with the Federal Aviation Administration in December, 1990. He subsequently worked at St. Louis ATCT, Detroit-Wayne ATCT, and Ypsilanti ATCT. He arrived at PDK ATCT in August, 1998, and was fully certified on May 10, 1999. He holds a control tower operator certificate.

The PDK ATCT Local Controller entered on duty with the FAA in January 1992. After training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, he worked at Fulton County ATCT and Charlotte ATCT before arriving at PDK on December 21, 1997. He holds a control tower certificate.

The PDK ATCT Ground Controller entered on duty with the FAA on December 30 1985 at Kansas City Air Route Control Center Olathe, Kansas. She also worked at Forbes, Kansas, ATCT and Waco, Texas, ATCT before arriving at PDK on December 16, 1998. She is still in training, certified on all positions except local control. She holds a control tower operator certificate.

The PDK ATCT Local Controller entered on duty with the FAA on November 15, 1992 at Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center, Georgia, and arrived at PDK ATCT on May 6, 1996. She became fully certified on November 25, 1997.

PERSONNEL INTERVIEW

The Dekalb County Fire Department first became aware that an airplane in distress was inbound to PDK when the tower phoned to place them on Alert II status. The tower stated that the pilot had reported smoke in the cockpit and problems with the airplane landing gear. Both C-10 and E-10 left the station in response to the alert. C-10 contacted the ground controller to confirm the landing runway, and then asked permission for the trucks to proceed south on taxiway A to the intersection with taxiway F. The ground controller approved the request.

By this time, the airplane was close to the airport and the fire crews could see the airplane approaching runway 2R. The airplane was trailing smoke from an indeterminate source, and the landing gear was clearly in an abnormal position. The ideal situation for responding to assist an airplane in distress is to position the fire apparatus ahead of the airplane but clear on the landing runway, then pull out and follow the airplane down the runway after it passes them on the rollout. This was the original reason that the fire crews asked to proceed to taxiway F; their intention was to be there in advance of the airplane's arrival, fall in behind after the airplane touched down, and assist the pilot as necessary. In this case, the airplane was too close to the airport to allow enough time for the trucks to get to taxiway F before it landed.

As the trucks approached the intersection of runway 9/27 and taxiway A, the airplane was approaching the intersection of runway 2R and 27. Based on the smoke and the appearance of the airplane, the fire. crews believed that the airplane was about to crash on runway 2R at or just past the intersection. In their opinion, the situation had escalated to Alert III status and required immediate action. They elected to turn off taxiway A onto runway 27 and hold short of runway 2R to position themselves to get to the impending accident as quickly as possible. The airplane touched down briefly, but then took off again. The fire crews were completely surprised at this, as the airplane had been in the perfect position for them to reach immediately. They felt that they would certainly have been able to reach the pilot in time is the airplane had continued the landing. C-10 called the ground controller to inform her that they PLANNED TO HOLD AT THEIR PRESENT POSITION, AND ASKED THAT THE PILOT BE INSTRUCTED TO "TOUCH DOWN RIGHT HERE AT (RUNWAY) TWO SEVEN." They believed that the airplane would be attempting another landing on 2R.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Cessna 210N, N7317A, was owned and operated by Skyclub, Inc., of Kennesaw, Georgia. N7317A was a high-wing airplane powered by a Continental Motors IO-520-A engine. A review of the airplane maintenance logbooks showed that the airplane was maintained in accordance with applicable Federal Aviation Regulations.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The PDK 1055 weather observation reported sky clear, visibility 10 miles, wind 020 degrees at four knots.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

PDK airport has four runways: 2L/20R, 2R/20L, 9/27, and 16/34. At the time of the accident, runways 2L and 2R were in use.

DeKalb County Fire Department station # 10 is located between the northwest ends of runways...