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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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February 22, 1986 · Beech G18S · N74FA

Copperhill, TN

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 22, 1986
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Copperhill, TN
Aircraft
Beech G18S
Tail Number
N74FA
Operator
K Airways
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL86MA080

THE PLT WAS ALERTED AT 0100 FOR 0200 FLT FM KENOSHA TO MILWAUKEE, WI TO PICK UP CARGO FOR A FLT TO ATLANTA, GA. AT 0310,THE ACFT DEPTD MILWAUKEE IN VFR. EN ROUTE, THE PLT OBTAINED WX & AN IFR CLNC. SOME OF HIS RDO XMSNS WERE NOT STANDARD. AT 0433, HE COMPLIED WITH ATC REQUEST FOR FREQ CHG, BUT HIS RDO XMSNS WERE NOT CLEAR. APRX 5 MIN LATER, ATC ASKED THE PLT TO CHG FREQ AGAIN, BUT 5 CALLS WERE MADE BFR HE REPLIED. HIS LAST XMSN WAS AT 0445:48; HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO FURTHER ATC CALLS. THE ACFT CONTD CRUISING AT 11,000' UNTIL 0621, THEN IT DSCNDD W/O CLNC. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 0627 CST (0727 EST). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT IMPACTED TREES ON A MTN, THEN CRASHED TO THE GND & BURNED. A WITNESS BELIEVED THE ENGS WERE THROTTLED BACK BFR IMPACT. ALSO, THE WITNESS RPRTD LOW CLDS & FOG, BUT SAID THE MTN WAS VISIBLE & WAS NOT OBSCURED. THE PLT HAD A 0.158% BAC, NO SLEEP FOR 21.5 HRS, HISTORY OF ALCOHOL ABUSE, 7 PRIOR DWI CONVICTIONS (& NDR REC). ALSO, HE FALSIFIED FAA MEDICAL APPLICATIONS. FAA WAS ADVISED IN 1984, BUT TOOK NO ACTION.

Full Narrative

THE PLT WAS ALERTED AT 0100 FOR 0200 FLT FM KENOSHA TO MILWAUKEE, WI TO PICK UP CARGO FOR A FLT TO ATLANTA, GA. AT 0310,THE ACFT DEPTD MILWAUKEE IN VFR. EN ROUTE, THE PLT OBTAINED WX & AN IFR CLNC. SOME OF HIS RDO XMSNS WERE NOT STANDARD. AT 0433, HE COMPLIED WITH ATC REQUEST FOR FREQ CHG, BUT HIS RDO XMSNS WERE NOT CLEAR. APRX 5 MIN LATER, ATC ASKED THE PLT TO CHG FREQ AGAIN, BUT 5 CALLS WERE MADE BFR HE REPLIED. HIS LAST XMSN WAS AT 0445:48; HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO FURTHER ATC CALLS. THE ACFT CONTD CRUISING AT 11,000' UNTIL 0621, THEN IT DSCNDD W/O CLNC. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 0627 CST (0727 EST). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT IMPACTED TREES ON A MTN, THEN CRASHED TO THE GND & BURNED. A WITNESS BELIEVED THE ENGS WERE THROTTLED BACK BFR IMPACT. ALSO, THE WITNESS RPRTD LOW CLDS & FOG, BUT SAID THE MTN WAS VISIBLE & WAS NOT OBSCURED. THE PLT HAD A 0.158% BAC, NO SLEEP FOR 21.5 HRS, HISTORY OF ALCOHOL ABUSE, 7 PRIOR DWI CONVICTIONS (& NDR REC). ALSO, HE FALSIFIED FAA MEDICAL APPLICATIONS. FAA WAS ADVISED IN 1984, BUT TOOK NO ACTION.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time07:30 EST
Nearest AirportMartin Campbell (3nm NNE)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech G18S
Tail NumberN74FA
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorK Airways
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsP&W · R-985-AN-14B · Reciprocating · 450
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 36 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDawn
Wind60° @ 5 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point46 / 43 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time11:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data