Beech 58P accident near Forsyth, Georgia, October 27, 1985
On October 27, 1985 at about 8:33 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N583AM, was destroyed in an accident near Forsyth, Georgia. 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
- October 27, 1985 · about 8:33 pm local time
- Place
- Forsyth, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N583AM · registry record · serial TJ-493
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE PLT WAS TRACKING INBND ON THE ATLANTA (ATL) 128 DEG RADIAL TWD THE HUSKY INTXN & WAS TOLD TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN FOR SPACING. AFTER APRX 270 DEG OF TURN, THE PLT WAS CLRD TO TURN BACK INBND, JOIN THE ATL 128 DEG RADIAL & CONT TO THE HUSKY INTXN, THEN PROCEED DIRECT TO THE PEACHTREE DEKALB ARPT. INSTEAD OF TURNING INBND (NW), THE ACFT TURNED OUTBND (SE) TO A HDG OF 128 DEG. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS HDG, HE SAID HE HAD AN AUTOPLT PRBLM, BUT GAVE NO EXPLANATION. THE PLT WAS PROVIDED A VECTOR BACK TO THE NW, THEN CLEARED DIRECT TO THE VOR. HOWEVER, THE ACFT AGAIN TURNED BACK TO THE SE. WHEN ASKED IF THE AUTOPLT WAS ON AGAIN, THE PLT SAID NO. ANOTHER VECTOR WAS PROVIDED TO TURN BACKTOWARD THE NW. THE ACFT BEGAN TURNING, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY, IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED. A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE ENGS AT HIGH POWER UNTIL THE ACFT DESCENDED OUT OF THE CLOUDS. THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 448 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 13, 1985; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSI St. Simons GA at 7:25 pm
- Destination: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded at 600 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:33 pm from MCN, 25 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.