- Date
- March 6, 1983, 19:32 local (Mar 7, 1983, 01:32 UTC)
- Place
- Birmingham, AL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9543RBeech K35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830306006149A
- Case key
- 5896
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft collided with trees and terrain during a practice localizer approach at night to rwy 23 at Birmingham municipalarpt. The weather was VMC and the pilot was not instrument rated. On approaching Birmingham from tri-cities, NC the pilot asked for a localizer approach. He was cleared for the approach and descent to 3000 ft. at 1925 when asked if he was receiving the localizer he answered 'affirmative-on glide path, excuse me, on the center.' He was advised of his position 13 miles from the roeby radio beacon and cleared for the approach. He acknowledged the clearance and instruction to remain VFR. The local controller followed him on radar (no alt) and lost the return when the target was 6 miles from the arpt. The crash site was about on course near the crest of a 1240 ft mountain about 2 miles outside theouter marker. Procedures dictate that 2000 ft be maintained until inside the outer marker. A witness saw the acft descending and heard an increase in engine noise and saw the nose of the acft come up before hitting the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9543R
- Reported as
- Beech K35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-6121
- Airframe hours
- 4,574
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-C, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bengal Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1983 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- TRI · Tri Cities, TN
- Destination
- BHM · Birmingham, AL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- BHM · Birmingham Muni., runway 23, 8,220 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 241 total · 20 in this make and model · 157 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.