NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 19, 1997, at 0127 eastern daylight time, a Beech C-23, N6005T, burst into flames after colliding with trees, and a single family dwelling, about 1 mile southeast of the Athens/Ben Epps Airport, in Athens, Georgia. The unauthorized flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed, and the pilot was fatally injured; no one in the home was injured. The flight's exact departure time from the Jackson County Airport in Jefferson, Georgia, was not determined.

An eyewitness near the accident site reported that, an airplane was flying low over the city of Athens minutes before the accident. Another witness heard the sound of the aircraft engine followed by the crashing sound of the airplane as it collided with trees and the house. Within minutes of the accident, local residents were at the accident site assisting with the fire fighting effort.

According to the aircraft owner, at 2100, on April 18, 1990, he parked N6005T on the ramp in front of the maintenance facility at the Jackson County Airport. The following morning, the aircraft owner returned to the airport and inquired about the maintenance scheduled on his airplane. Upon arriving at the maintenance facility, he did not see his aircraft on the ramp where he had parked it the night before. A search of the airport failed to locate N6005T. After learning of an aircraft accident in Athens, the owner traveled to the accident site; and discovered that the accident airplane was his.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Information on the airplane is included in this report on page 2 of the factual report under the data filed labeled "Aircraft Information".

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Information about the pilot is included in this report on page 3 of the factual report under the data field labeled "First Pilot".

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. Weather information is contained in this report on page 3 of the factual report.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The accident occurred in a residential area of Athens. Examination of the accident site disclosed that aircraft wreckage debris was scattered over an area about 150 feet long and 65 feet wide. The wreckage was orientated on a 160 degree magnetic heading. Freshly broken tree branches were discovered northwest of the main wreckage. Approximately 60, feet northwest of the main wreckage, additional freshly broken tree debris rested on the roof of the house adjacent to the fire damaged single family dwelling. The main wreckage rested adjacent to the home on the corner of Cedar creek and Sunnybrook Drives. The home sustained extensive fire damage to the backside, roof, and the back porch. The accident site examination also disclosed that one propeller blade had penetrated the lower side wall of the back porch.

Examination of the engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction. The engine also sustained fire damage to the accessory section and the installed components. The magnetos were attached to the engine but did not produce an ignition spark during the post accident examination. The ignition harness was also fire damaged. Engine gear train continuity was established. The examination of the propeller assembly revealed chordwise twisting on one of the blade tips.

The examination of the airframe failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a subsystem failure. Despite the impact and fire damage, flight control integrity was established. All airframe components were located in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. The engine compartment and cockpit were displaced aft several inches from their normally installed positions; both sustained fire damage. Examination of the airframe also revealed that fire damage extended aft to the empennage section.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

On April 19, 1997, the postmortem examination was performed on the pilot by Dr. Michael M. Heninger at the Division of Forensic Science of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The toxicological examinations revealed blood alcohol levels of 0.18 grams or 180.000 mg/dl, mg/hg, and 245.000 mg/dl, mg/hg ethanol detected in the vitreous fluid (see attached toxicology reports).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The owner of the airplane stated that the keys for N6005T were still in his possession when he arrived on the accident site. The keys recovered from the ignition switch showed an "N" number of 6623P.

According to the Code Of Federal Regulations, 14 CFR Part 91.17, "No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft-while having .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood."

The aircraft wreckage was released to Mr. Phillip Powell (Insurance Adjuster, Carson-Brooks) 2300 Peachford Road Suite 1200 Atlanta, Georgia 30338

NTSB Probable Cause

pilot impairment of judgment and performance, due to alcohol; and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from obstacles, while maneuvering at low altitude at night. Darkness was a related factor.