# NTSB ERA24LA085: Beech 58, N303RA, Griffin, GA, December 15, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 15, 2023, 20:33 UTC - Place: Griffin, GA · Shared taxiway/driveway of 8GA9 - Coordinates: 33.275449, -84.41274 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2754&lon=-84.4127&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193632 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193632/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193632 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA085 ## Probable cause The pilot’s misidentification of a taxiway as the intended runway, which resulted in a collision with a utility pole and trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 58, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 58, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that his intended destination airport was Cedar Ridge Airport (GA62), Griffin, GA, but due to misidentification of the airport while airborne, he landed at Brook Bridge Aerodrome (8GA9), Vaughn, GA. He reported that he did not realize he was approaching the wrong airport until he was “too low and too slow.” The airplane touched down on a shared taxiway/driveway before impacting a utility pole with the left wing. Subsequently, the airplane spun and impacted trees resulting in substantial damage to the left wing, nose structure, and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N303RA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N303RA-2024-09-26), registration cancelled 2024-09-26, S/N TH-506, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 58 - Registry model: [Beech 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-58) (registry code 1152740) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TH-506 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 4089 - Engines: Continental Aerospace Technologies IO 520 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental Aerospace Technologies IO 520 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 11, 2023, 38.1 hours before - Departed: MCN, Macon, GA - Destination: GA62, Griffin, GA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: 8GA9, Brook Bridge Aerodrome - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 77; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 6, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 5,745 total, 33,225 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.40 inHg - Observed at: FFC, 9 nm away - METAR: METAR KFFC 152053Z AUTO 05006KT 10SM CLR 15/M07 A3040 RMK AO2 SLP299 T01501067 56022= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20231215020559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231215020559A), Dec 15, 2023: Beech 58, Griffin, GA, Destroyed. The pilot departed kmcn airport for airport GA62. The pilot was attempteding to land at what he thought was airport GA62, but he was 1.6 miles to the northwest… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 29, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193632. 18.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 15.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16611193&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA085%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16610137&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA085%20MOR%20with%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16610708&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA085%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.