History of Flight
On August 4, 2013, at approximately 1155 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36, registration N1831W, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain near Alma, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. It departed Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport (FHB), Florida, around 1115, destined for Gwinnett County Airport-Briscoe Field (LZU), Lawrenceville, Georgia, where the airplane was based.
A review of voice recordings from Jacksonville Air Traffic Control Tower indicated no anomalies reported by the pilot. A radar handoff was completed from JAX to Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZJX). At 1127, the pilot contacted ZJX and received the current altimeter setting. At 1151, while at 5,000 feet mean sea level (msl), radar contact was lost. The controller attempted to contact the pilot but received no response. Radar data showed the target descending from 5,000 feet msl starting at 1150:52, with subsequent returns at 4,900 feet (1151:04), 3,900 feet (1151:16), and a last return at 2,800 feet (1151:28). The wreckage was located about 2 miles northwest of the last radar return.
Witnesses reported hearing a low-flying airplane followed by the sound of impact. One witness went to the scene and notified the Sheriff's Department. Another witness stated the engine sounded like it was sputtering initially but then straightened out.
Personnel Information
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a third-class medical certificate issued on January 13, 2012, with a restriction to wear corrective lenses. At his most recent medical examination, he reported 601 total flight hours, with 40 hours in the preceding 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate in 1973 and was registered to APS Aviation LLC on March 18, 2010. It was equipped with a Continental Motors IO-550-B(4) engine (serial number 249169-R, 300 hp) and a McCauley propeller. The most recent annual inspection could not be documented due to missing records, but a flight log form found at the accident site noted an annual inspection dated July 8, 2013, at a tachometer time of 2764.9 hours. The most recent fueling occurred on August 4, 2013, at FHB, with 20 gallons added (10 gallons in each main fuel tank).
Meteorological Information
The 1153 weather observation at AMG (about 8 nautical miles southeast of the accident location) indicated wind from 290° at 5 knots, visibility 8 miles, scattered clouds at 3,200 and 4,600 feet above ground level, temperature 31°C, dew point 23°C, and barometric pressure 30.04 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck 60-foot-tall trees beyond an open field and impacted terrain in a wings-level, nose-down attitude. The flight path was oriented on a 304° heading, and the debris path extended approximately 650 feet from the initial tree strike. The engine separated from its mounts and came to rest about 50 feet forward of the main wreckage. The propeller and spinner remained attached; the blades exhibited S-bending. Smoothly cut tree branches with paint transfers similar to the propeller blade color were found along the debris path.
Examination of the right wing revealed impact crush damage; the flaps were retracted. The left wing was found inverted and separated from the fuselage, with extensive crush damage. Both fuel tanks were breached and devoid of fuel, with fuel caps secured. The left main landing gear was in the up and locked position. The cockpit exhibited extensive crush damage; engine controls were separated from the cockpit. The throttle and propeller levers were in the mid-range position; the mixture was full forward. The vertical speed indicator indicated 400 feet per minute descent. The fuel selector was in the left main tank detent, and fuel fittings were finger tight. Residual fuel was found in the fuel strainer and fuel boost pump, which was in the OFF position.
Tests and Research
The engine was examined at the manufacturing facility on September 10–11, 2013. The oil filter and fuel filter contained no debris. Spark plugs showed normal wear and were light gray. The starter adapter, induction system, exhaust system, oil cooler, manifold valve, throttle body, oil sump, oil suction screen, and cylinders were disassembled and examined with no anomalies noted. The camshaft and crankshaft were also examined. The examination revealed no abnormalities with the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
A Garmin 696 portable GPS unit was recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, but the data downloaded pertained to dates prior to the accident and did not contain relevant information about the accident flight.