Beech C-90 accident near Augusta, Georgia, August 7, 1993
On August 7, 1993 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Beech C-90, registered N90BP, was destroyed in an accident near Augusta, Georgia (Bush Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE INFLIGHT WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A THUNDERSTORM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1993 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · Bush Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-90 · all C-90s on the register
- Registration
- N90BP · registry record · serial LJ-718
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUMENT FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY (THUNDERSTORMS). THE PILOT WAS QUESTIONED BY THE TOWER CONCERNING HIS POSITION ON THE APPROACH COURSE. THE TOWER RADAR PLACED THE FLIGHT'S POSITION 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON THE LOCALIZER. SUBSEQUENT FUNCTIONAL CHECKS OF THE ILS SYSTEM BY AIR WAYS FACILITIES, FAILED TO REVEAL A PROBLEM WITH THE ILS APPROACH SYSTEM. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT ONE AND ONE HALF MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT AND ONE HALF MILE EAST OF THE APPROACH COURSE. WEATHER REPORTS RECORDED LEVEL FOUR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS PROVIDED THE PILOT WITH CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT THROUGHOUT THE FINAL MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT, THEREFORE THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY NEAR AND AT THE AIRPORT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,875 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,301 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 18, 1993; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,705 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-21 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 15J Adel GA at 6:23 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; not recorded at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:20 pm from AGS, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.