# Accident 19971121034199A: Beech B60, Athens, GA, November 21, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 21, 1997, 13:22 local time - Place: Athens, GA - Airport: Athens/Ben Epps Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.9091° N, 83.3208° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9091&lon=-83.3208&mi=10 - Aircraft: N202RS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N202RS-2013-07-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech B-60 (registry code 1153605, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b-60) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-541 series (registry code 41536, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-541-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH B60 - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA011) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971121034199A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 21, 1997, ABOUT 1322 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 60, N202RS, OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 27 AND SKIDDED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR AT ATHENS/BEN EPPS AIRPORT IN ATHENS, GEORGIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, AND THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM WITHAM FIELD IN STUART, FLORIDA WITH AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN AT 1030. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS HE APPROACHED ATHENS, THE CONTROLLER INDICATED TO HIM THAT THE CEILING WAS 600 FEET AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 3 MILES. HE DECIDED TO PROCEED ON THE ILS 27 APPROACH. AT THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA), 200 FEET, THE PILOT STATED HE SAW THE AIRPORT AND TOUCHED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES "NOTHING HAPPENED". HE BELIEVED THEY WERE HYDROPLANING. THE PILOT DID NOT BELIEVE HE HAD RUNWAY LEFT TO EXECUTE THE GO-AROUND, SO HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP IN THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 27 AND SK IDDED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR IN SOFT TERRAIN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS INVOLVED, THEY ISSUED THE CLEARANCE TO LAND AFTER GIVING THE PILOT THE WEATHER. THEY STATED THE CEILING WAS 200 FEET OVERCAST, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 1/4 OF A MILE. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE APPROACH. BOTH CONTROLLERS STATED THE AIRPLANE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROXIMATELY THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY. IT THEN MADE A "QUICK DESCENT" IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND. THEY STATED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AT APPROXIMATELY THE 1500 FOOT REMAINING POINT OF THE 5522 FOOT RUNWAY. AFTER IT TOUCHED DOWN, THE CONTROLLERS WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPLANE, DUE TO THE POOR VISIBILITY. THE WEATHER AT ATHENS AIRPORT WAS 200 FEET OVERCAST AND 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY WITH DRIZZLE AND FOG. THE ILS APPROACH MINIMUMS FOR RUNWAY 27 WAS 200 FEET AND 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY. (-23) ON 11/21/97, AT APPROXIMATELY 1250 LCL, ROBERT A. MORRISON SR., A PRIVATE PILOT WITH INSTRUMENT PRIVILEGES WAS MAKING AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27, WHEN HE DESCENDED BELOW MINIMUMS. WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS 200 1/4 AS REPORTED BY THE ATHENS (AHN) TOWER AND MACON FSS. THE MINIMUMS FOR AHN ILS RUNWAY 27 IS 200 3/4. AS WITNESSED BY THE ATHENS TOWER CONTROLLERS, THE AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT AT MIDFIELD AND DOVE FOR THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE REMAINING 1500 FEET OF A 5500 FOOT RUNWAY. THE RUNWAY WAS WET AND THE PILOT CLAIMED TO HYDROPLANE. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE END OF RUNWAY 27 AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS EXITS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL98LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA011), Nov 21, 1997: Beech 60 (N202RS), Athens, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision by attempting to land in weather that was below minimums, and his failure to attain a suitable touchdown point on the runway. Weather below landing… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.