Beech F33 accident near Malbis, AL
On July 29, 2020, a Beech F33 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Malbis, AL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 29, 2020
- Place
- Malbis, AL
- Aircraft
- Beech F33 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 30.713°N, 87.705°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200729X70322
Official records · ERA20LA262
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Specialist's Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Specialist's Report - Attachment 1: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 28, 2020, about 1901 central daylight time, a Beech F33A, N3156W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Malbis, Alabama. The private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Family members reported that the pilot’s original plan was to return home to the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, on either July 29 or July 30, depending on the weather. The pilot had a business meeting scheduled for July 29. At 1615, the pilot called flight service for a weather briefing. A review of that recorded briefing revealed that the pilot inquired about the weather for his route of flight from Jack Edwards National Airport (JKA), Gulf Shores, Alabama, to MSL, for both that afternoon and the following day. The briefer responded “it doesn’t look good” for the following day, with thunderstorms, rain showers, low ceilings and reduced visibility expected, and that visual flight rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. The pilot then inquired about the weather for a flight that afternoon around 1800. The briefer responded, “That’s not looking so good right now” and advised that there were thunderstorms and rain showers over the area, and a convective SIGMET for the southern portion of his route, which noted an area of thunderstorms moving eastward. For the northern portion of the route, a center weather advisory was in effect for developing thunderstorms, and “weather” was currently building along and on both sides of the
Probable cause
The noninstrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart in deteriorating weather conditions, which led to restricted visibility and the pilot’s loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the pilot’s poor decision-making was self-induced pressure.
More accidents in AL
- Beech C99, Jul 10, 1991
- Cessna 421A, Jun 22, 1983
- Cessna 421C, Jul 9, 2011
- Piper PA 31, Aug 14, 2016
- Beech 95-B55B, Dec 5, 1992
Browse: Alabama · 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.
