Beech A45 accident near Troy, Alabama, July 8, 1989
On July 8, 1989 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Beech A45, registered N7973A, was destroyed in an accident near Troy, Alabama (Troy Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING A AEROBATIC MANEUVER AT LOW ALTITUDE DUE TO HIS LACK OF AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM THE MANEUVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1989 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Alabama · Troy Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A45 · all A45s on the register
- Registration
- N7973A · no longer on the register · serial G-85
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS THE 2ND OF 5 SIMILAR MODELS PERFORMING A LOW-LEVEL FLYBY OVER THE RWY. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED AND ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM AN AILERON ROLL TO THE LEFT SHORTLY AFTER THE 1ST AIRPLANE HAD SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED THE MANEUVER. A VIDEOTAPE RECORDING OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE ROLL RATED SLOWED AND THE NOSE BEGAN TO DROP AS THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A DIVING TURN TO THE RIGHT, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED OFF TO THE RT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE WRECKAGE EXAM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A RELATIVE OF THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE PLT DID NOT HAVE MUCH AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE AND DID NOT LIKE TO PERFORM AEROBATICS. EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK FOR THE PRECEDING YEAR REVEALED NO LOGGED AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE. A FLY-IN WAS IN PROGRESS AT THE ARPT WHEN THE MISHAP OCCURRED. ACCORDING TO THE FLY-IN ORGANIZER, NO AERIAL DEMONSTRATIONS WERE PLANNED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,552 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,194 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1989; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,999 ft by 10 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MGM
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.