Beech A36TC accident near Atlanta, Georgia, March 27, 1984
On March 27, 1984 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N3808N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- March 27, 1984 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N3808N · no longer on the register · serial EA-181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE PLT RADIOED THAT A DOOR HAD POPPED OPEN & HE NEEDED TO RETURN. ACCORDING TO A PLT WITNESS, THE ACFT HAD CLIMBED ABOVE TREETOP LEVEL WHEN IT STARTED TO LOSE ALT. ANOTHER WITNESS SAID THE ACFT LEVELED OFF & STARTED TO SINK, THEN THE NOSE CAME UP AGAIN, BUT THE ACFT SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND & ROLLED OFF AN EMBANKMENT. AFTER GOING OVER THE EMBANKMENT, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND IMPACTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE GROUND WITNESS RECALLED THAT WHEN THE ACFT PASSED HIS POSITION NEAR THE RWY, THE DOOR WAS OPEN & AN OBJECT THAT LOOKED LIKE A SEAT BELT WAS HANGING OUT THE TOP OF THE DOOR.AN EXAM OF THE DOOR REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PROBLEM THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED IT FROM CLOSING PROPERLY. IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND NEAR THE END OF THE RWY WHERE THE LANDING GEAR HAD TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BEFORE THE ACFT WENT OVER THE EMBANKMENT. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL, AN UNLOCKED DOOR WOULD NOT AFFECT THE FLT CHARACTERISTICS, EXCEPT TO SLIGHTLY REDUCE THE CLIMB RATE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 607 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 397 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 16, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 3,966 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PDK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.