- Date
- March 9, 1990, 12:52 local (17:52 UTC)
- Place
- Demorest, GA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7233RBeech 58
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900309003639A
- Case key
- 8113
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's failure to maintain control of the airplane while in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were: the pilot's overconfidence, lack of recent flight experience, and the weather conditions.
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
Shortly after takeoff into instrument meterological conditions, after climbing to 6,000 ft, the pilot was cleared to continue his climb to 7,000 ft and turn right to 180 deg. Radar data showed that the airplane turned left to 220 deg, and shortly thereafter radar contact was lost at 6,9OO ft. a witness reported seeing the airplane appear out of the cloud base in a high speed dive. The wreckage was located 5 mi n of the departure airport. Pilot had earlier attempted bfr on 2/7; CFI did not feel pilot was competent, and pilot rescheduled for 2/14. After flight of 2/14 CFI informed pilot that instrument flying was poor, and was rescheduled for 3/28. Pilot cautioned not to fly in IMC until bfr completed. CFI stated that he had observed a deterioration of the pilot's skills over the years.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7233R
- Reported as
- Beech 58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-1482
- Airframe hours
- 626
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-C, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- L&H Air Service, Inc.
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 8, 1989
- Departed
- AJR · Cornelia, GA
- Destination
- MCO · Orlando, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,911 total · 1,546 in this make and model · 1,668 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AHN, 33 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.