Beech A36 accident near Athens, Georgia, December 20, 1988
On December 20, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N17696, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Georgia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N17696 · no longer on the register · serial E1004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 6,000', THE PLT FELT AN INTENSE VIBRATION FM THE ENG. POWER WAS REDUCED & A DESCENT WAS BEGUN TOWARD A NEARBY ARPT. BEFORE REACHING THE ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER & AN EMERGENCY WHEELS-UP LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE #1 EXHAUST VALVE HAD FAILED. THE VALVE GUIDE WAS BATTERED & BROKEN, AND WAS LOOSE IN ITS BORE. THE BORE WAS FRETTED & HAD BECOME OVERSIZED. THE ENG HAD BEEN OVERHAULED & INSTALLED IN THE ACFT ON 1/20/82 WITH A TOTAL TIME OF 1515 HRS. ACCORDING TO THE LOG BOOK, NEW VALVES & VALVE GUIDES HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT THAT TIME. THE ENG TIME SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL WAS 1041 HRS.
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: 619 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 491 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 1988; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DNL Augusta GA at 9:10 pm
- Destination: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 4,989 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.