Beech 55 accident near Griffin, GA
On November 21, 2003, a Beech 55 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Griffin, GA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 21, 2003
- Place
- Griffin, GA
- Aircraft
- Beech 55 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.322°N, 84.292°W
- NTSB ID
- 20031126X01951
Official records · ATL04FA038
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 21, 2003, at 1245 eastern standard time, a Beech Baron 55, N4482S, registered and operated by River Chase Development Aviation Co. collided with a building during climb-out at Spaulding County Airport, Griffin, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Spaulding County Airport on November 21, 2003 at 1240. According to the company's chief maintenance inspector, the purpose of the flight was to conduct a maintenance test flight of the airplane on recently installed equipment the pilot/ mechanic had just completed. Before engine start-up the pilot/ mechanic conducted a pre-flight of the airplane, and then taxied out to the ramp and ran the engine up to full rpm three consecutive times before the test flight. The pilot taxied to runway 32, and proceeded to add full power for take-off. As the airplane began to rotate for climb out the engines sounded like they began to "backfire". The engines continued to make this sound as it climbed out. The airplane climbed approximately 200 feet and the left wing pitch down. The airplane descended under the tree line and a "loud explosion" was heard. According to other witnesses, as the airplane flew overhead the engines sounded as though they were "sputtering" as it climbed out. The airplane began to roll into a left bank, and descended below the tree line. Shortly after a "loud explosion" was heard. There was no distress call heard from the pilot at
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to follow the engine failure after liftoff emergency procedure to feather the left engine propeller resulting in a loss of control during climbout, and the subsequent collision with a commercial building. A factor was the fuel starvation of the left engine due to debris in the fuel line.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
- Cessna 208, Sep 29, 1985
- Beech 400, Dec 11, 1991
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Aug 21, 1995
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Apr 20, 1982
Browse: Georgia · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
