Beech C-99 accident near Conover, North Carolina, August 28, 1985
On August 28, 1985 at about 5:45 am local time, a Beech C-99, registered N992SB, was destroyed in an accident near Conover, North Carolina (Hickory airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1985 · about 5:45 am local time
- Place
- Conover, North Carolina · Hickory · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-99 · all C-99s on the register
- Registration
- N992SB · registry record · serial U-170
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS ON TRNG FLT FOR INITIAL COPILOT QUAL FOR COMMUTER AIR CARRIER. INSTRUCTOR AND TWO TRAINEES WERE ON BOARD. THE ACFT DEPARTED CHARLOTTE AT ABOUT 2314EDT FOR THE HICKORYAREA FOR TRNG. AT ABOUT 0015EDT,IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE CREW VISITED THE HICKORY FSS. AFTER DEPARTING HICKORY, THE ACFT CLIMBED TO 5500 FT AND REMAINED GENERALLY BETWEEN CHARLOTTE. AT ABOUT 0145EDT, RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT TO BE IN A STEEPNING DESCENT AN GAINING SPEED. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREE LIMBS, A UTILITY POLE AND THE GROUND IN ABOUT 35 ANGLE OF DESCENT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF CONOVER NC. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A NOSE UP TRIM,WHICH WAS APRX 75 PERCENT OF THE AVAILABLE UP-TRIM(3.38 DEGREES UP- NOSE. THIS IS AN ABNORMAL SETTING;SO THE ENTIRE TRIM UNIT WAS RETAINED & SENT TO THE TALLEY CORP FOR DETAILED EXAM. THE RAM END FITTINGS WERE SENT TO GA TECH RESEARCH FOR SURFACE FRACTURE ANALYSIS. THE EXAM SHOWED DUCTILE OVERSTRESS & NO INDICATION OF PRE-CRACKED CONDITION. PITCH TRIM EMERGENCIES ARE A PART OF SUNBIRDS C-99 TRAINING PROGRAM(FIT 1 & 2)
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,309 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 45 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,651 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 21, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,300 lb
- Seats: 17
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-36 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunbird Airline,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: HKY Hickory NC at 4:54 am
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from HKY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL85FA261.