Beech A36 accident near Alma, Georgia, August 4, 2013
On August 4, 2013 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N1831W, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Alma, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Descent from cruise flight until impact with trees and the ground for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and the pilot's autopsy and toxicology tests did not provide any evidence of impairment or incapacitation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2013 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Alma, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1831W · no longer on the register · serial E-388
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was flying the airplane on a cross-country flight to his home airport in day visual meteorological conditions. While in cruise flight at 5,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the airplane began descending and was lost from radar at 2,800 feet msl, 2 miles from the accident site. The pilot did not transmit any distress calls to air traffic control. Witnesses near the accident site heard the airplane with the engine operating then shortly thereafter heard the sound of impact. Examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane had flown through trees at a shallow angle and impacted the ground on a road. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no indications of preimpact anomalies; all observed damage was consistent with ground impact. Postmortem examination of the pilot indicated that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The pilot's toxicology testing revealed medications that were unlikely to have contributed to the accident. Testing for carbon monoxide could not be performed due to unsuitable samples. A postmortem examination and toxicology tests were not performed on the passenger. It could not be determined why the flight gradually descended from cruise altitude until impact with trees and the ground.
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
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 657 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,778 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2013
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aps Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FHB Fernandia Beach FL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: LZU Lawrenceville GA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AMG, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.