Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Georgia 30222
Wednesday, July 15, 1992 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND WAS AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH WEATHER AVOIDANCE EQUIPMENT. THE PILOT COMMUNICATED TO RADAR CONTROLLERS THAT HE WAS IN SOME TURBULENCE AND WISHED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO AN AIRPORT, HE RADIOED THAT HE WAS IN A THUNDERSTORM AND THAT 'HE COULD NOT CONTROL ANYTHING.' AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE EMPENNAGE AND WINGS OCCURRED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN, LIGHTNING, AND THUNDER IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE PLANE AND OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE STABILIZERS AND WINGS. THE ADVERSE WEATHER (WITH THUNDERSTORMS) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30222
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID CSG
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1162
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2512
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47275
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3810L
NTSB Number ATL92FA139
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58P
Aircraft Series Identifier 58P
Aircraft Serial Number TJ336
Certified Max Gross Weight 6200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 26 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 2153
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name H.J.W., INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 147 SOUTH ROSE RD.
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38117
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRIS, JOHN C.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6821 EASTRIDGE COVE
Operator City MEMPHIS
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38120
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 No
Departure Airport Code MEM
Departure City MEMPHIS
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1619
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SSI
Destination City ST SIMON ISLAND
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --