- Date
- March 21, 1989, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ashland, AL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6387SBeech F33A
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890321004499A
- Case key
- 7883
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Factors related to the accident were: high terrain, the adverse weather conditions, and trees.
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
During a preflight wx briefing, the plt was advised that VFR flight was not recommended due to low ceilings and reduced visibility. Subsequently the acft collided with trees on a mtn ridge at an elevation of about 1800 ft. a park ranger stated that all ridges in the vicinity of the accident site were obscured at the approximate time of the accident. Wreckage examination failed to indicate a system malfunction or failure. Several propeller slash marks were found on tree branches along the wreckage path.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6387S
- Reported as
- Beech F33A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CE621
- Airframe hours
- 3,128
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bill Joe Allison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 1988 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- GAD · Gadsden, AL
- Destination
- EUF · Eufaula, AL
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,765 total · 428 in this make and model · 1,697 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ANB, 13 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.