History of Flight
On August 18, 2011, about 1145 eastern daylight time, a Beech B19, N281G, was substantially damaged following a collision with trees and terrain near Lyons Landing Airport (5GA2), Whitesburg, Georgia. The student pilot received serious injuries in the accident and subsequently died on October 11, 2011. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from 5GA2 about 1130.
The pilot's father-in-law witnessed the accident. He reported that the pilot flew three or four passes down the runway, each at tree-top level or higher. The pilot then aligned the airplane on a one-mile final approach, and it appeared he was trying to land. When the airplane was about one quarter of the way down the runway, and about 8 to 10 feet above the ground, the witness observed a wing "dip momentarily." The pilot applied power and executed a go-around. The airplane began to climb, then the witness noticed it was no longer climbing. The airplane approached the trees at the end of the runway, and a slight drop in altitude was observed, similar to encountering a tailwind. The airplane collided with the trees. The witness stated that the engine sounded normal during the go-around and the flaps were down at impact. After responding to the accident site, he recalled the pilot saying, "It wouldn’t climb…I couldn’t get it to climb."
Several other witnesses observed the accident sequence. One witness reported that the engine sound was not as loud as expected, and the airplane seemed to have a "low energy state" during the go-around. He identified a landmark where the go-around commenced, about 2,150 feet from the trees at the end of runway 27. He did not hear any unusual engine noises and noted that the flaps were extended when the airplane hit the trees. Another witness reported that the engine sounded normal.
After the collision, a post-impact fire ensued.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a student pilot certificate issued on January 6, 2010, with no ratings. He also held an FAA airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate. On his latest FAA third-class medical certificate application, also dated January 6, 2010, he reported 90 civilian flight hours. The pilot's logbook was not located after the accident.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a single-engine, low-wing, fixed conventional gear airplane, serial number MB-614. It was built in 1973 and registered to the pilot in 2008. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E3D engine rated at 150 horsepower at 2,700 rpm. The aircraft maintenance logbooks were not located after the accident.
Meteorological Information
The 1135 recorded weather observation at West Georgia Regional Airport (CTJ), Carrollton, Georgia, approximately 13 nautical miles west of the accident location, included wind from 210 degrees at 4 knots, clear skies, 10 miles visibility, temperature 30°C, dew point 21°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of mercury.
Aerodrome Information
Lyons Landing Airport was located about five miles south of Whitesburg, Georgia, at an elevation of 1,080 feet. It was a private airstrip with private residences adjacent to the runway. According to the airport website, the turf runway was about 3,000 feet long, 90 feet wide, and oriented 09/27. The website included the remark, "At midpoint the runway rises 3% and high trees are at the west end. The runway is primarily a one-way strip with landings to the west and takeoffs to the east."
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted trees and terrain near the intersection of Consolation Church Road and Jones Mill Road, Whitesburg, Georgia. The main wreckage coordinates were 33°34'22.29"N, 84°55'0.93"W, at an elevation of 1,137 feet. The airplane came to rest upright in a cemetery about 400 feet southwest of the departure end of runway 27. The first tree contact was a mature pine tree about 40 feet tall. The main wreckage was about 188 feet west-southwest of the initial impact point.
No pre-impact anomalies were noted with the airframe. The cockpit and cabin were severely fire-damaged. All flight and engine instruments were unreadable. All major structural components and flight control surfaces were located within the main wreckage area. Flight control cable continuity was established from cockpit controls to control surfaces. The flap actuator jack screw revealed 11 exposed threads, corresponding to a flap setting of about 30 degrees. The engine remained attached to the mount, and control continuity was confirmed. The propeller was separated from the crankshaft flange; one blade was curled aft and forward, with tip separated and leading edge impact damage; the other blade was curled forward with chordwise scratching and leading edge dents. Engine examination found no pre-impact anomalies; compression and suction were confirmed on all cylinders, and the carburetor floats showed no perforations.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot received serious injuries in the accident and died on October 11, 2011. According to the Georgia death certificate, the cause of death was septic shock due to respiratory failure due to 65 to 70 percent total body surface area burns as a result of the airplane crash. The pilot died 54 days after the accident; per 49 CFR 830.2, the injuries were classified as serious. An autopsy and toxicological testing were not performed.
Additional Information
The B19 Pilot’s Operating Handbook included procedures for a balked landing (go-around): carburetor heat cold, power full throttle 2700 rpm, airspeed 60 knots until clear of obstacles then trim to best rate-of-climb, flaps up.