- Date
- March 28, 1992, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dalton, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N6003ZBeech C-23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920328007609A
- Case key
- 8579
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 inadequate compensation for gusting winds while taxiing for takeoff which resulted in a lost of control. A factor was gusting quartering tail winds.
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
While taxiing for takeoff, at approximately 12 mph, and approaching the runup area, the pilot lost control of the aircraft and rolled down a 30 foot ravine. Reportedly, the pilot was braking to slow the airplane when the right wheel locked. Examination of the taxiway disclosed lateral right tire marks, but there was no indication of braking until the airplane rolled off the taxiway into the grassy area. Additionally, the reported winds at the time of the accident were gusting to 20 knots from the left rear quarter of the taxiing airplane. Another airplane taxiing behind the accident airplane did not report experiencing control difficulty. Examination of the airplane also failed to disclose a mechanical problem which would have prevented normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6003Z
- Reported as
- Beech C-23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M2118
- Airframe hours
- 2,020
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Willis, James L.
- Registered owner
- Willis, James L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1991 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- DNN
- Destination
- HDI · Cleveland, TN
- Airport
- DNN · Dalton Municipal, runway 32, 5,000 × 100 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 185 total · 95 in this make and model · 146 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DNN, 1 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.