Beechcraft A36 N416HC
12 August 1992 · Guntersville, Alabama, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 12 August 1992 at about 23:30 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N416HC, operated by Trees Unlimited, Inc., was involved in an accident near Guntersville, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Guntersville, Alabama, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.3495, -86.2696
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft A36
- Registration
- N416HC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Trees Unlimited, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Ferry
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Little Rock → Atlanta
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL92LA159
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE IN FLIGHT WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING EXCEEDED. FACTORS WERE CLOUDS, THE ASSOCIATED TURBULENCE, AND THE HAIL IN THE CLOUDS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS PROCEEDING TO HIS DESTINATION AT FLIGHT LEVEL 210, BETWEEN CLOUD LAYERS. HE WAS APPROACHING A CLOUD CELL, AND REQUESTED TO DEVIATE TO THE NORTH. THE PILOT NOTICED NOTHING ON HIS WEATHER RADAR, AND HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON COURSE AFTER A VFR AIRCRAFT AHEAD OF HIM REPORTED NO SIGNIFICANT TURBULENCE. AS HE ENTERED THE CLOUD FORMATION, THERE WAS 'ONE VERY HARD HIT OF TURBULENCE', WITH ASSOCIATED ICE AND HAIL. HE THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER A LOSS OF ABOUT 10,000 FEET OF ALTITUDE, HE WAS ABLE TO REGAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. DURING THE RECOVERY, HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED IN EXCESS OF 'RED LINE.' HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE AT A NEARBY AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AN FAA INSPECTOR DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED IN FLIGHT. NTAP RADAR DATA SHOWS THAT THE FLIGHT PENETRATED AN AREA OF HEAVY WEATHER RETURNS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft A36 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jan 1992 | Beechcraft A36 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Loren Kula, ET al | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Oct 1992 | Beechcraft A36 | Middlebourne, West Virginia, United States | Robert J. Carleton | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Mar 1992 | Beechcraft A36 | Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | Snyder, Michael C. | Serious injuries | - |
| 30 Nov 1992 | Beechcraft A36 | Frankfort, Illinois, United States | Hoyt Investments | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jan 1992 | Beechcraft A36 | Griffith, Indiana, United States | Dalsanto, James A | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1992 | Beechcraft A36 | Brawley, California, United States | Clyde E. Shields | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 1992 | Mosley Hs GN-1 | Cullman, Alabama, United States | Sharp, Milford G. | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 1992 | Cessna 172I | Gadsden, Alabama, United States | Liberty Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 11 Mar 1992 | Cessna 310R | Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States | Tuscaloosa Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 16 Mar 1992 | Kolb MARK III | Titus, Alabama, United States | Hauck, John R. | No injuries | - |
| 14 Apr 1992 | Guy Whisenant SKYBOLT | Gadsden, Alabama, United States | Owens, Donald W. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 1992 | Piper PA-24-180 | Moontown, Alabama, United States | Akins, Robert D. | No injuries | - |