- Date
- December 6, 1984, 04:34 local (09:34 UTC)
- Place
- Charleston, SC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7230RBeech 58
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841206064509A
- Case key
- 6891
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
Plt descended below mda during a night VOR (non-precision) apch to an uncontrolled arpt and collided with trees & groundwhich were obscured by fog. The plt had 'pushed' himself to make the trip according to friends and associates in an attempt to win an election result appeal. His lawyers reportedly argued that the trip on the accident night was not urgent & the mission could be accomplished by other means. The plt insisted on going to do the job himself in spite of the known adverse wx. The physical strain & fatigue were apparent according to friends who had 'given up', they said, intrying to stop him from over exertion & lengthy work days. The toxicology reports showed evidence of a drug named methamphetamine commonly called 'speed'. His wife denied any knowledge of the drug & his doctor denied prescribing it. It is not legally obtainable without prescription and is an appetite suppressant. Plts wife said he had lost 'about 20 lbs' in recent months. He had not reportedly seen a dr recently. No mech discrepancies of a causal nature were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7230R
- Reported as
- Beech 58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-555
- Airframe hours
- 2,275
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-CB7, 280 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Warren Paul Contrell Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 1984 · 150 hours before
- Departed
- CUB · Columbia, SC
- Destination
- JZI · Charleston, SC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- JZI · Charleston Executive
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,359 total · 85 in this make and model · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHS, 11 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.