Beech A36 accident near Griffin, Georgia, May 22, 2016
On May 22, 2016 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1977 Beech A36, registered N36SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Griffin, Georgia (Cedar Ridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land with a tailwind, resulting in a runway overrun and collision with a highway road embankment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2016 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Griffin, Georgia · Cedar Ridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 UNDESIGNAT, built 1977 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N36SR · registry record · serial E-1096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during landing with fifty percent flaps, in gusting wind conditions, the airplane was too fast as she approached the runway and she aborted the landing. She reported that during the second approach with flaps in the same configuration, she touched down normally, applied the brakes during the landing roll, but could not stop the airplane before exiting the departure end of the runway. The airplane crossed a highway and collided with an embankment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were not any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations. According to the Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) that was available to the pilot for the accident airport, the weather at the time of the accident was reported as: K6A2 221855Z AUTO 34008G14KT 10SM CLR 25/12 A2995 RMK AO2. The pilot landed on runway 18.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,664 hours in all; 3,282 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 4,652 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 3, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB12B (piston); 1,154 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 2:28 pm
- Destination: GA62 Griffin GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18L, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from K6A2, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 1, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo (Courtesy of Repair Facility) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.