Beech 58P accident near Greenville, Georgia, July 15, 1992
On July 15, 1992 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N3810L, was destroyed in an accident near Greenville, Georgia. 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
CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE PLANE AND OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE STABILIZERS AND WINGS. THE ADVERSE WEATHER (WITH THUNDERSTORMS) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1992 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N3810L · no longer on the register · serial TJ336
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND WAS AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH WEATHER AVOIDANCE EQUIPMENT. THE PILOT COMMUNICATED TO RADAR CONTROLLERS THAT HE WAS IN SOME TURBULENCE AND WISHED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO AN AIRPORT, HE RADIOED THAT HE WAS IN A THUNDERSTORM AND THAT 'HE COULD NOT CONTROL ANYTHING.' AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE EMPENNAGE AND WINGS OCCURRED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN, LIGHTNING, AND THUNDER IN THE AREA.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 524 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 326 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,153 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1992; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 9:19 pm
- Destination: SSI St Simon Island GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from CSG, 25 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.