Cessna 402B accident near Kathleen, Georgia, August 16, 1991
On August 16, 1991 at about 4:51 am local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N5855M, was destroyed in an accident near Kathleen, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE DESCENDING AT NIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG, THE PILOT'S LACK OF QUALIFICATION IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT, HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 4:51 am local time
- Place
- Kathleen, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5855M · no longer on the register · serial 402B0360
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SINGLE ENGINE RATED PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING FROM FLORIDA AFTER PICKING UP A NEWLY ACQUIRED CESSNA 402. THE PILOT CALLED MACON FSS FOR FUEL AVAILABILITY, AND BEGAN A NIGHT, VFR DESCENT. AT ABOUT 5300 FEET MSL, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN RAPID ALTITUDE EXCURSIONS, WHILE IN A TIGHT, RIGHT HAND TURN. DURING THIS TIME, IT DESCENDED 2600 FEET IN 37 SEC, THEN CLIMBED 1200 FEET IN 12 SEC. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED GRADUALLY RISING TERRAIN AT HIGH SPEED. THE ENGINES WERE BURIED, AND ALL PROP BLADES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF POWER AT IMPACT. WEATHER IN THE AREA WAS REPORTED TO BE: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED WITH FOG. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT MULTI-ENGINE RATED. A PILOT FOR THE SELLER FLEW WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT A FEW HRS PRIOR TO THE CRASH; HE REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY FLYING THE AIRPLANE. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT GET ADDITIONAL TRAINING PRIOR TO LEAVING FLORIDA, BUT THE ACCIDENT PILOT REFUSED.
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: 521 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 24J Live Oak FL at 4:06 am
- Destination: HKY Hickory NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 am from WRB, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.