Lockheed 18-56 accident near Madison, Georgia, January 11, 1983
On January 11, 1983 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Lockheed 18-56, registered N520R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Georgia (Madison Municipal airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- January 11, 1983 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Georgia · Madison Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed 18-56 · all 18-56s on the register
- Registration
- N520R · registry record · serial 2183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER HE TAXIED TO THE RWY, THE #1 OIL TEMP WAS NOT UP TO THE MINIMUM TEMP. HE SET THE PARKING & ADVANCED THE #1 THROTTLE TO 1500 RPM UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMED UP. WHEN BOTH OIL TEMPS WERE WITHIN LIMITS, HE ADVANCED BOTH THROTTLES TO 30 INCHES MP & 2250 RPM FOR A PRETAKEOFF CHECK. AT THAT TIME, HE USED THE NORMAL (TOE) BRAKES, SINCE THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD THE ACFT ABOVE APRX 1700 RPM. HE THEN APPLIED FULL POWER & RELEASED THE BRAKES FOR TAKEOFF. AS HE STARTED TO ROLL WITH A SLIGHT LEFT X-WIND, THE ACFT BEGAN DRIFTING LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER, SOME RIGHT BRAKE & RIGHT AILERON. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN DRIFTING RIGHT & THE PLT SUSPECTED A WIND-SHIFT FROMTHAT DIRECTION. HE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER & RIGHT AILERON, BUT THE PLANE VEER RIGHT, WENT OFF THE RWY & HEADED FOR A DITCH.UNABLE TO STOP, THE PLT TRIED TO CLEAR THE DITCH. AS THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE, THE LEFT WING DROPPED & HIT THE GROUND, AND THE ACFT YAWED & CRASHED. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS FOUND PARTIALLY ENGAGED. TIRE MARKS WERE EVIDENT ON THE RWY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,245 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,823 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 3, 1982; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 19,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-56 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.