Beech F33A accident near Ashland, Alabama, March 21, 1989
On March 21, 1989 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N6387S, was destroyed in an accident near Ashland, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH TERRAIN, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1989 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N6387S · no longer on the register · serial CE621
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PREFLIGHT WX BRIEFING, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY. SUBSEQUENTLY THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON A MTN RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1800 FT. A PARK RANGER STATED THAT ALL RIDGES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE OBSCURED AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO INDICATE A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. SEVERAL PROPELLER SLASH MARKS WERE FOUND ON TREE BRANCHES ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH.
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: 1,765 hours in all; 428 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1,697 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 1988; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GAD Gadsden AL at 10:45 pm
- Destination: EUF Eufaula AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from ANB, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.