Beech A36 accident near Dalton, Georgia, March 30, 1987
On March 30, 1987 at about 2:36 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N6170U, was destroyed in an accident near Dalton, Georgia (Dalton Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- March 30, 1987 · about 2:36 pm local time
- Place
- Dalton, Georgia · Dalton Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N6170U · no longer on the register · serial E1964
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON T/O AT 1ST POWER CHANGE PIC NOTED LOSS OF PERFORMANCE. HE TURNED LEFT TO DOWNWIND LEG FOR LANDING. PIC AND GROUND WITNESSES SAID ENG QUIT AND ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES AND GROUND. POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED ACFT. PIC RPTED TAKING FUEL SAMPLE BEFORE T/O WITH NO WATER CONTAMINATION NOTED. ACFT WAS FUELED TWICE AT ARPT VISITED AND FLEW AFTER 1ST FUELING. AFTER 2ND FUELING ACFT SAT UNCOVERED DURING SEVERAL HOURS OF HARD RAIN. ACFT LOG SAID FUEL CAP SEALS REPLACED 5 MONTHS PRIOR. ANALYSIS OF FUEL FROM ARPT SHOWED NO WATER IN FUEL. DROPLETS OF WATER FOUND IN FUEL TRUCK FILTER. ENG EXAMINATION REVEALED WATER DAMAGE TO PISTONS, CYLINDERS AND SPARK PLUGS. THE PLTS FLT TIME WAS NOT REPORTED OR AVAILABLE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 927 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DNN at 2:36 pm
- Destination: GPT Gulfport MS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:26 pm from DNN, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.