Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Demorest, Georgia 30535
Friday, March 9, 1990 12:52 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF INTO INSTRUMENT METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AFTER CLIMBING TO 6,000 FT, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO CONTINUE HIS CLIMB TO 7,000 FT AND TURN RIGHT TO 180 DEG. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT TO 220 DEG, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 6,9OO FT. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE APPEAR OUT OF THE CLOUD BASE IN A HIGH SPEED DIVE. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 5 MI N OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. PILOT HAD EARLIER ATTEMPTED BFR ON 2/7; CFI DID NOT FEEL PILOT WAS COMPETENT, AND PILOT RESCHEDULED FOR 2/14. AFTER FLIGHT OF 2/14 CFI INFORMED PILOT THAT INSTRUMENT FLYING WAS POOR, AND WAS RESCHEDULED FOR 3/28. PILOT CAUTIONED NOT TO FLY IN IMC UNTIL BFR COMPLETED. CFI STATED THAT HE HAD OBSERVED A DETERIORATION OF THE PILOT'S SKILLS OVER THE YEARS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE, LACK OF RECENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/9/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1252
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DEMOREST
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30535
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID AHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 807
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 33
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1428
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 9 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1405
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42739
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7233R
NTSB Number ATL90FA070
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-1482
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 8 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 626
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name L&H AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 558
Aircraft Owner City BALDWIN
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30511
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 193
Operator City CLARKESVILLE
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30523
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 AJR
Departure City CORNELIA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1242
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MCO
Destination City ORLANDO
Destination State FL
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 --