ATL86LA249

Factual narrative

PLT SAID HE SAW FOG AROUND RWY LIGHTS AS HE FLEW OVER AIRPORT TO ENTER DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 16. ON SHORT FINAL, BELOW LEVEL OF TREES THAT BORDERED RWY EAST SIDE. HE LOST GROUND REFERENCES. FLAPS WERE RETRACTED TO REDUCE DRAG BUT ACFT WAS NOT ACCELERATED TO BEST RATE OF CLIMB SPEED. PITCH ATTITUDE WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED TO ACCOUNT FOR FLAP RETRACTION. ACFT DID NOT CLIMB AND STRUCK TREES ATO EAST OF RWY. PLT SAID HEADING WAS MIANTAINED ON 160 DEGREES. HE TOLD FAA INSPECTOR THAT HEADING INDICATOR WAS RESET DURING THE APPROACH AND TURN TO RWY 16. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12