- Date
- August 28, 1985, 01:45 local (05:45 UTC)
- Place
- Conover, NC
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N992SBBeech C-99
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850828041509A
- Case key
- 6636
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
Acft was on trng flt for initial copilot qual for commuter air carrier. Instructor and two trainees were on board. The acft departed charlotte at about 2314EDT for the hickoryarea for trng. At about 0015EDT,it was reported that the crew visited the hickory fss. After departing hickory, the acft climbed to 5500 ft and remained generally between charlotte. At about 0145EDT, radar data showed the acft to be in a steepning descent an gaining speed. The acft collided with tree limbs, a utility pole and the ground in about 35 angle of descent in a residential area of Conover NC. Investigation revealed a nose up trim,which was aprx 75 percent of the available up-trim(3.38 degrees up- nose. This is an abnormal setting;so the entire trim unit was retained & sent to the talley corp for detailed exam. The ram end fittings were sent to ga tech research for surface fracture analysis. The exam showed ductile overstress & no indication of pre-cracked condition. Pitch trim emergencies are a part of sunbirds C-99 training program(fit 1 & 2)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N992SB
- Reported as
- Beech C-99
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U-170
- Airframe hours
- 7,651
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-36, 715 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sunbird Airline,Inc., doing business as Piedmont Commuter
- Registered owner
- Beech Acceptance Corp., Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · August 21, 1985 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- HKY · Hickory, NC
- Destination
- CLT · Charlotte, NC
- Airport
- HKY · Hickory
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 5,309 total · 950 in this make and model · 45 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HKY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.