Beech A36 accident near Hamilton, Alabama, February 23, 1984
On February 23, 1984 at about 2:10 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N1034W, was destroyed in an accident near Hamilton, Alabama (Hamilton/Marion CO. airport). 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
- February 23, 1984 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Alabama · Hamilton/Marion CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1034W · no longer on the register · serial E 405
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES APRX 6 MILES EAST OF MARION CTY ARPT AND APRX 17 NM SW OF THE FLT DEPAT PT AND ALSO THE PLT'S HOME ARPT. THE PLT HAD EARLIER THAT DAY TOLD THE HALEYVILLE ARPT MGR THAT HE WOULD RETURN TO HALEYVILLE THE SAME DAY AS DEPT. THE ACC SITE IS APRX 17 NM. SW OF THE HALEYVILLE ARPT. THE OUTBOUND FLT HAD DEPT AT APRX 1720 BOUND FOR JACKSON MS. DEPT FROM JACKSON TOOK PLACE AT 1904 CST WITH A DEST OF BIRMINGHAM, AL NAMED ON THE ATC DEPT STRIP. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT MANEUVERING AT LOW ALT IN THE VICINITY OF THE HAMILTON ARPT JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE WX WAS DESCRIBED BY THESE SAME WITNESSES AS FOGGY WITH DRIZZLE AND A VISIBILITY OF 1/2 TO 3/4 MILE. THERE IS NO WX REPORTING FACILITY AT HIMILTON. WX SHOWN OF THIS REPORT IS FOR MUSCLE SHOALS, 40 NMI AWAY AND ALSO BIRMINGHAM AL AND TUPELO MS. POST ACC INVEST REVELAED EVIDENCE THAT THE AUTO PLT HEADING MODE WAS BEING USED AT TIME OF ACC. THE VACUUM PUMP HAD SHEARED PRIOR TO ENG STOPPAGE. THE PUMP HAD LOGGED 730 OPERATIONAL HRS SINCE INSTALLATION IN 1978.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 1983; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Tgm IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JAN Jackson MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from MSL, 40 miles away
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.