Beech 55 accident near Perry, Georgia, May 17, 1991
On May 17, 1991 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N42WE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Perry, Georgia (Perry-Fort Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND (CFI). THE IMPROPER PROCEDURE OF TURNING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO 'OFF' AT ALTITUDE TO SIMULATE A FAILED ENGINE, THEN DELAYING RESTARTING OF THE ENGINE UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WAS A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1991 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Perry, Georgia · Perry-Fort Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N42WE · no longer on the register · serial TF-42
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE, HE TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE TO THE 'OFF' POSITION. HE STATED THAT AT SOME POINT DURING THE APPROACH TO THE AIRFIELD HE RETURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE 'ON' POSITION AND RESTARTED THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE LEFT THE POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE AT A LOW POWER SETTING, TO CONTINUE TO SIMULATE A FAILED ENGINE. AT ABOUT 30 FEET A GO-AROUND WAS EXECUTED, AND BOTH ENGINES RESPONDED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. AFTER 30 SECONDS, THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED AND THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB ON ONE ENGINE. IN ORDER TO AVOID POWER LINES, THE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE TERRAIN AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. THE AIRCRAFT PILOT'S MANUAL STATES THAT SINGLE ENGINE DEMONSTRATIONS SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED USING THE POWER AND PROPELLER LEVERS AND SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AT 5000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,478 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 226 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 1,419 as pilot in command; 1,004 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,416 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1991; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L9B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WRB Warner Robins GA at 8:25 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MCN, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.