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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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NTSB Report

February 12, 1985 · Beech H18 · N18AW

Cartersville, GA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 12, 1985
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Cartersville, GA
Aircraft
Beech H18
Tail Number
N18AW
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL85FA097

THE FLT HAD NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED WHEN THE PLT RETIRED FOR THE EVENING AT 2230 TO 2300 EST. AT 0230, HE WAS AWOKEN & NOTIFIED TO MAKE A NGT CARGO FLT. THE OWNER OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & FILED A FLT PLAN, THEN BRIEFED THE PLT LATER. THE PLT ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AT 0430. HE PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT WHILE THE OWNER UPDATED THE WX BRIEFING. THE ACFT WAS CLEARED AS FILED WITH A CLEARANCE VOID TIME OF 0500; THE CLEARANCE WAS RADIOED TO THE PLT BY UNICOM. DURING TAKEOFF,AT 0510, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING NORTHBOUND TO APRX 800' AGL IN MODERATE SNOWFALL WITH THE LANDING LGT ON. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 1 MI NE OF THE ARPT WHILE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, RGT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PRE- IMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. REPORTEDLY, WHEN THE PLT 1ST HIRED ON, HE EXAGGERATED HIS FLT EXPERIENCE; HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH INSTRUMENT FLYING & WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR FLTS IN MARGINAL WX; & HE WAS GIVEN EXTRA HELP. AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT, SNW WAS FALLING, MIXED ICING WAS FORCAST IN CLDS & THERE WAS A SIGMET FOR MOD TO SVR TURBC BELOW 8000'.

Full Narrative

THE FLT HAD NOT YET BEEN SCHEDULED WHEN THE PLT RETIRED FOR THE EVENING AT 2230 TO 2300 EST. AT 0230, HE WAS AWOKEN & NOTIFIED TO MAKE A NGT CARGO FLT. THE OWNER OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & FILED A FLT PLAN, THEN BRIEFED THE PLT LATER. THE PLT ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AT 0430. HE PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT WHILE THE OWNER UPDATED THE WX BRIEFING. THE ACFT WAS CLEARED AS FILED WITH A CLEARANCE VOID TIME OF 0500; THE CLEARANCE WAS RADIOED TO THE PLT BY UNICOM. DURING TAKEOFF,AT 0510, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING NORTHBOUND TO APRX 800' AGL IN MODERATE SNOWFALL WITH THE LANDING LGT ON. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 1 MI NE OF THE ARPT WHILE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, RGT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PRE- IMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. REPORTEDLY, WHEN THE PLT 1ST HIRED ON, HE EXAGGERATED HIS FLT EXPERIENCE; HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH INSTRUMENT FLYING & WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR FLTS IN MARGINAL WX; & HE WAS GIVEN EXTRA HELP. AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT, SNW WAS FALLING, MIXED ICING WAS FORCAST IN CLDS & THERE WAS A SIGMET FOR MOD TO SVR TURBC BELOW 8000'.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time05:10 EST
Nearest AirportCartersville-Bartow Co (1nm NE)
Runway36
Runway Length4000 ft
Runway Width60 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftBeech H18
Tail NumberN18AW
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsP&W · R-985-14B · Reciprocating · 450
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 41 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind270° @ 10 kt
Visibility4 sm
CeilingOvercast 1500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data