Beech C23 accident near Lineville, Alabama, December 29, 1991
On December 29, 1991 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N9304S, was destroyed in an accident near Lineville, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT CONTINUED VFR INTO IMC CONDITIONS WHERE HE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: LOW CLOUDS, OBSCURED TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRELFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1991 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lineville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N9304S · no longer on the register · serial M-1631
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT CALLED THE FSS TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE LOCAL AND DESTINATION WEATHER, BUT DID NOT REQUEST OR RECEIVE A WEATHER BRIEFING. WHEN TOLD THAT THE WEATHER WOULD REMAIN MARGINAL FOR VFR UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY, HE STATED THAT HE WOULD CALL BACK LATER. HE DID NOT CALL BACK AND DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON CHEAHA MOUNTAIN IN A NEAR LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1,700 FEET. THE MOUNTAIN WAS REPORTED TO BE OBSCURED IN CLOUDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WITH VISIBILITIES REPORTED TO BE FROM ZERO TO 50 FEET IN LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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
- Flight time: 2,020 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,022 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1991; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GAD Gadsden AL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 pm from ANB, 7 miles away
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.