Statesboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Statesboro, Georgia 30458
Sunday, December 4, 1994 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A RELATIVE OF THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN AT HER HOME UNTIL 2342 ON THE EVENING OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN DRINKING BEFORE ARRIVAL AT HER HOME AND HAD CONSUMED ONE BEER WHILE THERE. WHEN HE LEFT, HE STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO HIS HOME. WITNESSES ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT TREES WHILE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND IN AN ESTIMATED 15 DEGREE DESCENT. THE WRECKAGE PATH EXTENDED ABOUT 405 FEET FROM THE TREES INTO AN OPEN FIELD. THE WITNESSES ESTIMATED THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST WITH A CEILING OF ABOUT 500 FEET AND REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG. TOXICOLOGY TESTS SHOWED THE PILOT HAD ETHANOL LEVELS OF 223 MG/DL (0.22%) IN HIS BLOOD, 249 MG/DL (0.25%) IN HIS URINE, AND 246 MG/DL (0.25%) IN HIS VITREOUS FLUID.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO ALCOHOL, IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM WOODED TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 45
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City STATESBORO
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30458
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STATESBORO MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TBR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 187
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 118 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID TBR
Elevation of weather observation facility 187
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1782
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 150
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9790L
NTSB Number ATL95FA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C23
Aircraft Series Identifier C23
Aircraft Serial Number M-1397
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 9 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name S.B. MARTIN AND T.B. LAIRCEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 3 BOX 329A
Aircraft Owner City STATESBORO
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30458
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LAIRCEY, TROY B.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 3, BOX 124B
Operator City STATESBORO
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30458
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TBR
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --