Beech BE-55 accident near Montgomery, Alabama, December 12, 2001
On December 12, 2001 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Beech BE-55, registered N99DC, was destroyed in an accident near Montgomery, Alabama (Montgomery Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering in instrument flight conditions resulting in an inadvertence stall/spin (vertical descent) and subsequent in-flight collision with trees and terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 2001 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery, Alabama · Montgomery Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-55
- Registration
- N99DC · registry record · serial TC1490
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed Montgomery, Alabama, on an IFR flight plan with a 700 feet overcast ceiling. Shortly after takeoff the pilot informed the controller, "we are coming back for a minute." The pilot did not state why. The controller asked the pilot to say his request. The pilot stated, "uh I'm going to circle to the left or right either one and land again." The controller instructed the pilot to circle to the right and asked him if he had the airport in sight and if he would like vectors to the ILS. The pilot replied, "no we'll go to the right." There was no other recorded radio communication with the pilot. Review of radar data revealed the airplane was last observed at 800 feet with a decrease in groundspeed. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane collided with the terrain in a vertical descent in a slight right turn. There was no evidence of a crash debris line at the crash site. The lower surface of the wing skin displayed evidence of upward compression. There was no evidence of a pre-crash mechanical failure of the airframe, flight controls, engine assemblies or propellers.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,700 hours in all; 530 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 9, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO0470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MGM Montgomery AL at 10:08 pm
- Destination: DTN Shreveport LA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from MGM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL02FA017.