Beech A36-TC accident near Winder, Georgia, May 27, 1987
On May 27, 1987 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Beech A36-TC, registered N18HB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winder, Georgia (Winder (Barrow) airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1987 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Winder, Georgia · Winder (Barrow) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36-TC · all A36-TCs on the register
- Registration
- N18HB · registry record · serial EA 230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED EXPERIENCING A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. ALL SYSTEMS WERE SHUT DOWN AND THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE FLIGHT DESCENDED TO VISUAL CONDITIONS FOR A LANDING AT WINDER. THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPTED A NO POWER LANDING. THE ACFT STALLED ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT AN ALTERNATOR BRUSH WAS DISLODGED FROM IT'S NORMALLY INSTALLED POSITION. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE DID NOT NECESSITATE STALLING THE ACFT 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
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
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 702 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1986; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 4,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from ATL, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N18HB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ATL87LA151.