This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
Investigator In Charge (IIC): Boggs, Daniel
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Atlanta, Georgia
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Roll Royce; Indianapolis, Indiana
Algab Holdings LLC
Location: Atlanta, GA
Accident Number: ERA22FA009
Date & Time: October 8, 2021, 13:11 Local
Registration: N128EE
Aircraft: Cessna P210
Injuries: 4 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On October 8, 2021, about 1311 eastern daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N128EE, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), Atlanta, Georgia.
The pilot, and three passengers were fatally injured.
The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Review of PDK airport security surveillance video revealed that the airplane lifted off about 1,000 ft down runway 21 in a nose-high attitude.
The airplane then rolled left and reached an inverted attitude before it impacted nose first beside the runway.
The debris area was compact, and the ground scars were consistent with the airplane impacting in a nose first, right wing down attitude.
The fuselage came to rest upright, oriented on a magnetic heading of 245°.
The engine remained attached to the firewall through the tubular engine mount and was heavily fire damaged.
The propeller was separated from the engine at the propeller gearbox.
One propeller blade remained attached to the propeller and the four other blades fractured off at the hub.
The cabin and instrument panel were consumed by the postimpact fire.
Both wings were separated from the fuselage and sustained significant postimpact fire damage.
The tail section was thermally damaged.
Flight control cable continuity was partially established due to multiple separations that displayed signatures consistent with overload separation and postimpact fire damage.
The elevator trim tab actuator was observed in the thermally damaged wreckage with both actuator rods separated.
The inboard actuator rod measured 1.5 inches extended which correlated to 5° tab down.
The outboard actuator rod measured 1.7 inches extended which correlated to 5° tab up.
Both trim tab actuator rods were free to rotate.
The six-seat, high-wing, retractable landing gear airplane, serial number P21000133, was manufactured in 1978.
It was originally equipped with a reciprocating engine; however, it was converted to a RollsRoyce 250-B17F/2 turbo shaft 450-horsepower engine, equipped with a five-bladed composite MT propeller.
Review of maintenance records revealed that the conversion was completed on July 19, 2021.
At that time, the airframe had accumulated about 1,390 total hours and the engine had accumulated 2.3 hours since overhaul.
The airframe and engine were retained for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N128EE
Model/Series: P210N
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPDK,998 ft msl
Observation Time: 12:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C /18°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 3700 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots / , 300°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.08 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Departure Point: Atlanta, GA
Destination: Houston, TX
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 3 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 4 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 33.879326,-84.298784 (est)
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.
Mike Andrews of Beasley Allen
"While we cannot ever give the family what they truly want—their daughter—we are hopeful that resolving this case helps by providing our clients answers to the questions they have struggled with regarding the crash," said Mike Andrews of Beasley Allen.
Mike Andrews and Cole Portis of Montgomery, Alabama-based Beasley Allen and Paul Mason of Mason Carter in Peachtree Corners, just north of Atlanta, said they have reached a confidential settlement of a lawsuit filed in DeKalb County State Court by the parents of an executive assistant killed when her boss crashed his private plane near DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in October 2021.
The lawyers represent the family of Lauren Harrington. She was traveling with her boss, businessman Jonathan Rosen, who owned and piloted the plane.
“While we cannot ever give the family what they truly want—their daughter—we are hopeful that resolving this case helps by providing our clients answers to the questions they have struggled with regarding the crash,” said Andrews, who specializes in aviation litigation. “We are grateful to have been able to work for such a deserving family and are thankful for their trust in our work.”
Rosen founded a life insurance premium finance company called Entaire Global One and sold it in 2016 to Columbus-based Synovus Financial Corp. He continued to serve as specialty finance division CEO, according to a statement from Synovus. On the day of the crash, he was headed to Houston with Harrington, who was his longtime assistant. Also on board were his 14-year-old daughter and her 13-year-old friend. No one survived. “Their loss will be painfully felt by so many,” Synovus said at the time.
The named defendants include Rosen’s estate and two companies connected to him and the plane. The defense attorney is Jim Strawinski of Strawinski & Stout in Atlanta. Strawinski did not have an immediate response to messages seeking comment. He has a practice focused on defense of insurance, transportation and aviation cases and is also a former U.S. Air Force pilot.
The complaint in the Harrington case in DeKalb County court alleged Rosen was an inexperienced pilot flying an overloaded plane with a new engine and a just-added supplemental fuel tank. It took off, then crashed and exploded into flames that were fed by the extra fuel.
“This plane started life in a different configuration,” Andrews said. “It started with a piston-driven typical aircraft engine and was modified to carry this Rolls-Royce turbine engine, which is significantly more powerful and was a significant upgrade to the aircraft. All the avionics and the flight display, everything in the cockpit was also modified and upgraded. But the way that it was configured, it had a limited weight and carrying capacity. The issue in the case is not only the fact that it appears it was overloaded beyond its takeoff and landing weight, but most of that weight was concentrated aft of the center of gravity of the aircraft. Most of it was in the tail, or at least aft of the center. That dramatically changes takeoff, flight and landing characteristics.”
Andrews said a more-experienced pilot might have been able to accurately calculate the center of gravity and avoid the overload and even possibly corrected once the plane became unstable upon takeoff. But, sadly, he said, the circumstances of the case seem too familiar.
“This is a case that goes back to the importance of being properly trained and current and certified,” Andrews said.
The lawsuit alleged that Rosen had no more than two hours of flight experience on the newly configured plane and had completed only one day of a five-day training program for it.
Jonathan David Rosen and his daughter, Allison Paige Rosen.
Jonathan David Rosen
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Lauren Kate Harrington
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Daniel Boggs, Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board.
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Julia Helen Smith
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Julia Helen Smith, age 13 1/2, died on October 8, 2021 in a plane accident.
Julia was born March 30, 2008 at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, to Christina and Hunter Smith.
An intelligent, passionate, sharp-witted girl, Julia loved to learn and read. She was ardent about politics and enjoyed discussing social issues. The struggles of the less fortunate were foremost on her mind and she cared deeply about how she could help them. Julia pursued a wide-range of hobbies, including studying French and Spanish, playing tennis and basketball, surfing, and rooting for the Atlanta Falcons. She was an accomplished baker and enjoyed cooking for her family and friends. As a student at Griffin Middle School where she was in 8th grade, she pursued her passion for music, singing in the choir and school chorus, as well as playing both the French horn and the piano. Some of the memories she enjoyed reliving and sharing with gratitude were her family trips to Austria, Germany, France, and Italy. But her great love was the many summer months she spent in Cocoa Beach, Florida learning to surf. She reveled in her time with her many friends and will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her parents, Christina and Hunter; her grandparents, Mason and Hamilton Smith and Beth and Dr. Ken Benson; her aunts and uncles, Catherine and Per Wahlen, Carey and Robert McLaughlin, Rachel and Howard Smith; and her cousins, Emma, Alex, Elise, Cameron, Hamilton, Genevieve, and Isabel, as well as her beloved cat, Hazel B.
A memorial service will be held at St. Benedict's Episcopal Church in Smyrna at 10:30 AM on Saturday, October 16, 2021 followed by a reception at the Taylor-Brawner House in Smyrna at noon. Church protocol required masks. Because space in the church is limited, the family asks that those who did not know Julia personally but would like to offer their love and care watch the livestream of the service and attend the reception. The service will livestream from the church website. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
A service was held Wednesday morning to honor the lives of Dunwoody residents Jonathan Rosen and his daughter, Allie.
Rosen, 47, and his 14-year-old daughter were among four people killed in an airplane crash at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport on Friday.
Rabbi Brad Levenberg of Temple Sinai officiated the service at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs.
“No explanation can soften our lament,” Levenberg said. “We find ourselves still in utter disbelief. [We] search for words to feel the pain away, that as we all know, do not exist.”
Rosen’s brother, Seth Rosen, spoke at the service.
“He was a beautiful father, brother, husband and friend who loved his wife, Jill, and worshiped his [daughters] Allie and Gabby. He talked endlessly about their accomplishments and his love for them,” he said. “His beautiful and generous spirit is too big to be adequately captured in a eulogy.”
Rosen was the CEO of Dunwoody-based Entaire Global Companies Inc., a financial services company that was acquired by Synovus Bank. He was also founder of the Dunwoody-based Jonathan Rosen Foundation, which provides financial literacy classes to teenagers.
“My brother accomplished so much. He soared to great heights,” Seth said. “He always aspired to be better, never settled and he never allowed himself to stand still … I ask you honor the memory of my brother by remembering the gifts he gave you. Aspire to be great. Lead others. Be generous. Persevere.”
Gabby, Rosen’s daughter, spoke next, focusing on her sister Allie, who was an eighth grader at Peachtree Middle School.
“Many of you know my father for the massive mark he made,” Gabby said. “Allie didn’t have enough time to make her mark. Well, fully make her mark. She was a climber, a record-holding weightlifter, and a pilot in training. She had so many friends … Both Allie and my dad were amazing people who deserve every bit of recognition they will get today. Even though their time was short, they touched so many people, and that’s what really matters.”
Lauren Harrington, 42, and Julia Smith, 13, were also killed in the crash. Harrington was a “loyal friend and assistant, having worked closely with Jonathan D. Rosen for 20 years, helping him grow his business until its acquisition by Synovus Bank in 2016,” says her obituary.
A private service will be held for Harrington at the H.M. Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel in Sandy Springs.
An investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board on Sunday said that a preliminary report about the plane crash should be complete within 14 days.
An effort is underway in Dunwoody to remember the Rosens by placing white ribbons outside homes and businesses.
Lauren Kate Harrington
MAY 19, 1979 – OCTOBER 8, 2021
A beloved daughter and sister, and great friend to many, Lauren Kate Harrington, 42, passed away on October 8, 2021. Born on May 19, 1979 in Worcester, Ma, Lauren grew up in Massachusetts, relocating later to North Carolina where she attended UNC-Greensboro. After college, Lauren moved to Atlanta in 1999. Ms. Harrington was an avid world traveler, having visited numerous countries on several continents, where she enthusiastically pursued new experiences and developed friendships with new people. Lauren’s love of her two cats, Roxy and Flynn was legendary, as was the time and effort she spent volunteering with various animal-focused charities in the greater Atlanta area. Lauren enjoyed experiencing new restaurants with friends, cooking, strength-training, and watching movies. Lauren was a loyal friend and assistant, having worked closely with Jonathan D. Rosen for 20 years, helping him grow his business until its acquisition by Synovus Bank in 2016. Lauren is survived by her Mother - Adrienne, her Father – Daniel and his partner Susan Rodburg, her sister - Brooke and her brother – Timothy and his wife Lenora, and nephews, Liama, and Zack, and will be missed deeply by friends and family alike. A private service will be held for Lauren at the HM Patterson & Son Arlington Chapel in Sandy Springs, GA. Donations in honor of Lauren’s memory can be made to Furkids.
Two children and two adults were killed Friday afternoon when a small aircraft crashed and burst into flames at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, the DeKalb medical examiner’s office confirmed Monday.
Jonathan Rosen, 47, the plane’s pilot and owner, died in the crash, as did his 14-year-old daughter Allison. Lauren Harrington, 42, and Julia Smith, 13, were also on the plane, according to the medical examiner’s office. There were no survivors.
Daniel Boggs, air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board who is leading the probe of the crash, said Sunday that he believed the passengers were on a personal family trip to Houston.
NTSB was on the ground at DeKalb-Peachtree over the weekend investigating the cause of the crash, interviewing witnesses and air traffic control tower workers and collecting videos. Officials from the independent agency, which is tasked with probing every civil aviation accident in the country and issuing safety recommendations, will likely be on site for two or three more days, Boggs said Sunday.
“We’ll be looking at the weight of the aircraft. We’ll be looking at the engine,” he said. “We’ll be looking at the servicing. We’ll be looking at the qualifications of the pilot.”
Later Sunday, a salvaging company was expected to move the remains of the aircraft to a secure facility, where NTSB officials will dissect the surviving components of the plane. It will be particularly difficult because the fire damage was so extensive, Boggs said.
Unlike larger and commercial aircraft, small personal planes don’t have black boxes or cockpit voice recorders that can shed light on the cause of crashes. Some smaller planes do feature boxes that show how the aircraft’s engines were running.
“We’re going to look at that but there’s so much fire damage we don’t think we’re going to get any usable data off of that,” Boggs said.
The 1978, six-seater Cessna P210N Centurion aircraft crashed at about 1:10 p.m. Friday. Cellphone video appeared to show the crash near the runway seconds after takeoff and a large plume of black smoke ascending from the plane’s charred remains.
Boggs said the aircraft was recently modified from a Continental engine to a Rolls Royce turbine engine. The plane was outfitted with an additional tank that was full of fuel, which explains the intensity of the fire, he added. NTSB is waiting for additional paperwork about the modification.
Boggs said he did not believe the weather was a factor in the crash.
NTSB plans to issue a preliminary report in 14 days, according to Boggs. A final assessment will be published in 12 to 18 months.
Rosen was CEO of Entaire Global Companies and founded a family foundation that teaches financial literacy skills to teenagers. His daughter was an eighth-grader at Peachtree Middle School who enjoyed rock climbing and weightlifting, according to her obituary. More information about Harrington and Smith was not immediately available.
Located in northeastern DeKalb less than 10 miles from downtown Atlanta, DeKalb-Peachtree Airport is the state’s second busiest behind Hartsfield-Jackson, with roughly 209,000 annual takeoffs and landings.
The airport and DeKalb County government issued a joint statement Monday thanking first responders and expressing condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the crash. The statement was also read at an airport advisory board meeting Monday afternoon. Airport Director Mario Evans declined to discuss the crash further pending findings from the investigation.
