Cessna 425 accident near Augusta, Georgia, January 31, 1990
On January 31, 1990 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 425, registered N6846D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Augusta, Georgia (Bush Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE GO-AROUND. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING THE GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1990 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · Bush Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 425 · all 425s on the register
- Registration
- N6846D · no longer on the register · serial 425-0078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DETECTED AN UNACCEPTABLE SINK RATE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. AFTER APPLYING POWER & RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR, THE LEFT WING DROPPED & STRUCK THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN GROUND LOOPED & CAME TO REST WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,788 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,807 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,392 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 7, 1989; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-112 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Morris Communication CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 6:45 pm
- Destination: AGS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:09 pm from A65
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.