# Accident 19981128039909A: Beech F33A, Fernandina Beac, FL, November 28, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 28, 1998, 11:38 local time - Place: Fernandina Beac, FL - Airport: Fernandina Beach Municipal - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.6510° N, 81.4394° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6510&lon=-81.4394&mi=10 - Aircraft: N69FL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N69FL-2000-05-01) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech F33A (registry code 1151425, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH F33A - Reported engine: CONT IO520BB - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,600 total, 90 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA024) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981128039909A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23)N69FL DEPARTED CRAIG, FL (CRG) VFR TO BRUNSWICK GA (55J). PILOT CONTACTED UNICOM AT (55J) FERNANDINA BCH FL AND REPORTED ELECTRICAL FAILURE USING HAND HELD RADIO. PILOT REQUESTED INSTRUCTIONS ON MANUALLY LOWERING LANDING GEAR. PILOT THEN MADE LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY ON A DOWNWIND LEG. HE WAS OBSERVED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, STALLED AND CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A FLAT ATTITUDE WITH A HIGH POWER SETTING. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 28, 1998, AT 1038 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 33-F33A, N69FL, IMPACTED TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF IN FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER MINOR INJURIES, THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED CRAIG FIELD IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA EXACT TIME UNKNOWN, ENROUTE TO BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED CIRCLING FERNANDINA BEACH AIRPORT (55J). AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, (ATC) ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO RESULTS. THE CONTROLLER BROADCASTED THAT RADAR CONTACT HAD BEEN LOST AND IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE SUPERVISOR OF THE SITUATION. THE SUPERVISOR CONTACTED THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND HAD TO HAND CRANK THE LANDING GEAR DOWN. THE PILOT THEN MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE TOWER FOR A VISUAL GEAR INSPECTION AND WAS RETURNING FOR A LANDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. (.4) AFTER THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE RADIOS, BUT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT CIRCLED NEAR THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT USED A WALKIE-TALKIE AND ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH A MAN WHO WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE AIRPLANE. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE GROUND PERSON THE PILOT HAND-CRANKED THE LANDING GEAR DOWN. THE PILOT MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE AIRPORT FOR A VISUAL GEAR INSPECTION. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT, IT APPEARED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. HE CONTINUED TO OBSERVE THE AIRPLANE AS THE PILOT EXECUTED A TIGHT LEFT TURN. THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREES ON THE UPWIND SIDE OF RUNWAY 08. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND THE GROUND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. ## 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 ATL99LA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA024), Nov 28, 1998: Beech 33-F33A (N69FL), Fernandina Bch, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The Pilot's failure to maintain flying airspeed that resulted in a loss of control and an inadvertent stall. Factors were several electrical system component malfunction. 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.