Beech 55 accident near Griffin, Georgia, November 21, 2003
On November 21, 2003 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N4482S, was destroyed in an accident near Griffin, Georgia (Griffin Spalding Airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to follow the engine failure after liftoff emergency procedure to feather the left engine propeller resulting in a loss of control during climbout, and the subsequent collision with a commercial building. A factor was the fuel starvation of the left engine due to debris in the fuel line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 2003 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Griffin, Georgia · Griffin Spalding Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N4482S · no longer on the register · serial TC-1882
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the company's chief maintenance inspector, the purpose of the flight was to conduct a maintenance test flight of the airplane on recently installed equipment the pilot/ mechanic had just completed. Before engine start-up the pilot/ mechanic conducted a pre-flight of the airplane, and then taxied out to the ramp and ran the engine up to full rpm three consecutive times before the test flight. The pilot taxied to runway 32, and proceeded to add full power for take-off. As the airplane began to rotate for climb out the engines sounded like they began to "backfire". The engines continued to make this sound as it climbed out. The airplane climbed approximately 200 feet and the left wing pitch down. The airplane descended under the tree line and a "loud explosion" was heard. The airplane collided with a building a quarter mile from the departure end of runway 32. Post-accident examination of the cabin section, main fuselage, and wing assemblies revealed that they were fire damaged. All flight control and communication instruments were fire damaged. Post-accident examination of blades from both propeller assemblies revealed rotational scoring. Post-accident examination of the propellers revealed both propellers were rotating and not in the feathered position. There were no pre-impact mechanical anomalies noted with the propeller blades. Review of the maintenance work order revealed that a Shadin Digilfo-L fuel flow indicator and fuel flow transducers on the right and left engines were installed by the pilot/mechanic prior to the flight. Post-accident examination of left fuel flow transducer serial number 130436 revealed it was charred, and the inlet hose coupler was not as tight as the outlet hose coupler. Fuel was poured into the inlet side of the transducer, and the outlet flow was restricted. The fitting on the inlet side was removed and the inlet was inspected. Debris was found around the inlet orifice. . After removing the debris from the Fuel flow transducer, fuel was again poured into the inlet and fuel exited the outlet without restriction to flow. Post examination of the right fuel flow transducer serial number 130437 revealed it was intact with no visible damage, and both hose couplers were tight. Fuel was poured into the inlet side of the transducer, and the fuel exited the outlet side of the transducer without visible restriction to flow.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,960 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 2002; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470L-21B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-470L-21B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 6A2 Griffin GA at 5:40 pm
- Destination: 6A2 Griffin GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,701 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FFC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.