Beech A36 accident near Darien, Georgia, April 3, 1982
On April 3, 1982 at about 6:12 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N4382W, was destroyed in an accident near Darien, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1982 · about 6:12 pm local time
- Place
- Darien, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N4382W · no longer on the register · serial 12532
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT DID NOT ACTIVATE IT AFTER TAKEOFF. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER AND OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE. AS HE CONTINUED, HE ENTERED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS, TURBULENCE, AND HEAVY RAIN. AS THE PILOT WAS ABOUT TO DEPART THE AREA OF BAD WEATHER, THE AIRCRAFT TURNED NEARLY 180 DEGREES AND BEGAN HEADING TOWARD THE EDGE OF A THUNDERSTORM. THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF HIS HEADING DEVIATION AND WAS PROVIDED A VECTOR AWAY FROM THE STORM AND BACK ON COURSE. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, TWO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND HEARD AN AIRCRAFT IN THE SAME AREA. THEY REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AS IF THE PLANE WAS DIVING UP AND DOWN. BOTH REPORTED THAT THE PLANE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS LEAVING THE AREA, THEN IT RETURNED AND CIRCLED BEFORE CRASHING. THE PLANE IMPACTED IN A RIGHT BANK, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. AFTER IMPACT, THE WRECKAGE SCATTERED OVER A 200 BY 400 FT AREA. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PRECRASH FAILURES.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: New Bern NC at 9:53 am
- Destination: Palatha FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:31 am from SSI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.