Beech B24R accident near Suches, Georgia, April 29, 1989
On April 29, 1989 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Beech B24R, registered N2526W, was destroyed in an accident near Suches, Georgia (Lumpkin-Wimpy airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE WOODED TERRAIN. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION, HIGH TERRAIN, AND TREES WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1989 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Suches, Georgia · Lumpkin-Wimpy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B24R · all B24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2526W · registry record · serial MC-200
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD RECEIVED HIS PVT CERTIFICATE 3 DAYS BEFORE THE ACDNT. ABOUT 1 HR AFTER RECEIVING A WX BRIEFING, HE TOOK OFF FROM HAMPTON, GA, ON A FLT TO DAHLONEGA, GA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED ABOUT 2 MI NW OF THE DESTN ARPT. THE ACDNT SITE WAS ON THE EAST SLOPE OF A MTN. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN LEVEL FLT. WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 225' AREA. FRESHLY BROKEN LIMBS WITH PROP SLASH MARKS WERE FND WHERE THE ACFT INITIALLY IMPACTED TREES. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. RPRTDLY, MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS EXISTED WITH LOW CEILINGS & REDUCED VISIBILITY.
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
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,236 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1988; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 4A7 Hampton GA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: 9A0 Dahlonega GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from FTY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.