ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45074
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| Date: | Tuesday 16 September 2003 |
| Time: | 19:58 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft A36 Bonanza |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N1980K |
| MSN: | E1758 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4042 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520-B5F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Stone Mountain, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Chamblee, GA (PDK) |
| Chamblee, GA (PDK) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Witnesses stated that they observed the airplane circling the mountain just prior to the accident. Radar data confirmed what the witnesses saw and that the airplane made five complete counterclockwise circles of the mountain. On the sixth circuit farther out from the mountain than the preceding five circuits it turned in and headed straight toward the mountain. Radar contact was lost at 1958 while the airplane was in a rapid descent at a ground speed of 179 knots. There was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction with the airplane, or weather related factors. The flight profile of sudden rapid descent and pitch-up could not have occurred without pilot input. The pilot had consumed alcohol in the hours before the accident according to a witness. It was unusual behavior for the pilot to be flying so soon after drinking, given statements by several witnesses that he was careful to never fly within at least 12 hours of alcohol consumption. Additionally, it was found that the pilot had threatened suicide in the past on more then one occasion under similar circumstances.
Probable Cause: The pilot's intentional flight into the ground for the purpose of suicide while impaired by alcohol.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20030922X01565&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Dec-2017 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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