# Accident 20030916022319A: Beech A36, Stone Mountain, GA, September 16, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 16, 2003, 19:59 local time
- Place: Stone Mountain, GA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8017° N, 84.1353° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8017&lon=-84.1353&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1980K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1980K-2004-05-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT IO520B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 5,319 total, 4,858 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL03FA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03FA140) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030916022319A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON 09-16-03 AT APPROX. 1920 HRS. LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT DEPARTED DEKALB-PEACHTREE AIRPORT (PDK) AND FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE STONE MOUNTAIN PARK AREA LOCATED EAST OF ATLANTA, GA. ONCE AT THE PARK, THE PILOT CIRCLED THE MOUNTAIN APPROX 3-4 TIMES AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1900 FT. MSL. UPON COMPLETING HIS FINAL CIRCLE THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 4000 FT. MSL AS HE FLEW IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION AWAY FROM STONE MOUNTAIN. AT APPROX. 3 MILES FROM STONE MOUNTAIN, THE PILOT MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARDS STONE MOUNTAIN AND BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT, FLYING DIRECTLY TOWARDS STONE MOUNTAIN. THE PILOT IMPACTED THE MOUNTAIN APPROX 200 FT. ABOVE ITS BASE. THE WRECKAGE PATTERN SHOWED THE VERTICAL FIN AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE MAIN COCKPIT AREA AND BOTH WINGS WERE LOCATED AN ADDITIONAL 300 FT. FROM THE TAIL ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE WAS LOCATED AN ADDITIONAL 175 FT. ABOVE AND TO THE LEFT OF THE COCKPIT/WING SECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE, WHICH CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFTS LOGBOOKS. THE PILOTS LOGBOOK HAS YET TO BE LOCATED.

## 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 ATL03FA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03FA140), Sep 16, 2003: Beechcraft A36 (N1980K), Stone Mountain, GA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional flight into the ground for the purpose of suicide while impaired by alcohol.

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.
