A Mobile Phone Belonging To The Passenger Dialed 911 And Advised By Automated Voice Message That The Owner Was In A Severe Crash

Location: Covington, GA Accident Number: ERA25FA120
Date & Time: February 15, 2025, 23:00 Local Registration: N1423J
Aircraft: Rockwell 112 Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On February 15, 2025, about 2300, a Rockwell 112, N1423J, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Covington, Georgia. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control radio communication information, the pilot contacted Atlanta Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Departure Radar North (DRN) position for an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance and release from Covington Municipal Airport to Valdosta Regional Airport, Valdosta, Georgia. At 2256, the pilot advised the controller he would be departing from runway 10 and was ready to depart. The DRN controller issued the clearance with an initial climb to 3,000 ft, as well as a departure frequency and transponder code, which the pilot correctly read back. The pilot was advised that the release for departure clearance was void if he had not departed within 10 minutes, which he acknowledged. There was no record that the pilot contacted the DRN controller after his last audio communication while on the ground.

A review of airport security cameras revealed that a light from the airplane came into view during the takeoff roll on runway 10 at 2259 and went out of view from that camera several seconds later. The airplane at the time when it went out of view was located about 1,800 ft down the runway. Another airport security camera with a view of where the airplane impacted trees and terrain recorded a very bright light filling the upper portion of the screen at about 1 minute later.

According to the Covington-Newton County Communications Center Call Detail Report, at 2303, a mobile phone belonging to the passenger dialed 911 and advised by automated voice message that the owner was in a severe crash and was not responding to their phone. The coordinates of the location that were given were about 34 ft northeast of the actual resting position of the main wreckage. Additionally, the Covington Police Department dispatch received a call from the FAA TRACON about 2322 reporting that the accident airplane was supposed to depart at 2259 and they had not heard from the pilot yet.

Law enforcement personnel responded to the airport and when they were at the north side of the airport from behind two chain link fences officers noted a fire erupting from a wooded area. The officers cut access points in both chain link fences, responded to the site with handheld fire extinguishers and attempted to extinguish the fire.

The accident site was located about 4,230 ft down and 620 ft north of the northern edge of runway 10. The cockpit and cabin were consumed by the postimpact fire. The wreckage was recovered and retained for further examination. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov