Beech BE-36 accident near St. Catherines, Georgia, December 28, 1983
On December 28, 1983 at about 4:41 pm local time, a Beech BE-36, registered N4829M, was destroyed in an accident near St. Catherines, Georgia. It was a business 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
- December 28, 1983 · about 4:41 pm local time
- Place
- St. Catherines, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-36
- Registration
- N4829M · no longer on the register · serial E-1272
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING AT 1037 EST BEFORE DEPARTING ON AN IFR X-COUNTRY. AT 1051, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING (#537) WAS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WX SVC. WHEN THE PLT REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE AT 1107, HE WAS ADVISED OF THE FRONTAL ACTIVITY. ABOUT 3 MIN LATER, HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE WX WARNING, WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. AT ABOUT 1138, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF WX IN HIS VICINITY & ALONG HIS PLANNED ROUTE WHICH INCLUDED MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE & MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. BASED ON THIS INFO, THE PLT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO SAVANNAH, GA. AT 1139:54, HE REPORTED HIS WX CONDITIONS WERE ROUGH WITH RAIN. AT 1141:11, THE CONTROLLER NOTED THAT HIS TRANSPONDER REPLY SHOWED 2600 FT INSTEAD OF THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 7000 FT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. THE ACFT WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED AT SEA & BOTH PLTS WERE PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN FATALLY INJURED. A SEARCH OF THE SUSPECTED AREA WAS MADE BY THE COAST GUARD & DEBRIS SUSPECTED FROM THE ACFT WAS FOUND; HOWEVER, THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,875 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: St. Augustine FL at 3:45 pm
- Destination: W36 Chesapeake VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:04 pm from SAV
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.