What happened
An Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight, operating an Embraer EMB-120 with registration N217AS, departed from runway 24 under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) clearance. During the departure, the crew initiated a left turn to an easterly heading and climbed to an assigned altitude of 5,000 feet MSL.
Before air traffic control could establish radar contact with the aircraft, the EMB-120 converged with a Cessna 172, registration N99501, which was traveling on a westbound heading toward the setting sun. This resulted in a head-on collision approximately 2.5 miles south of the airport.
Upon impact, the right horizontal stabilizer of the EMB-120 separated from the aircraft; however, the crew was able to maintain control and perform a safe landing. The Cessna 172 entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed.
A witness to the event reported seeing no evasive maneuvers performed by either aircraft prior to the collision. While the crew of the EMB-120 reported seeing the Cessna moments before the impact, the captain stated he attempted immediate evasive action by pushing the nose down, though this was unsuccessful in preventing the collision. A flight attendant aboard the EMB-120 also noted hearing a "thump" just before the aircraft began its descent.