Beech C23 accident near Athens, Georgia, October 28, 2001
On October 28, 2001 at about 11:27 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N24697, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Georgia (Athens Ben Epps airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot misjudged the ailment of the airplane on the active runway, inadvertently taking off from a parallel taxiway, and subsequently departing the hard surface into a 40 foot drop off. A factor in this accident was a dark night, and the pilot's total experience in night operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2001 · about 11:27 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Athens Ben Epps · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N24697 · registry record · serial M-1424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed the airplane, taxied to the fixed base operator, and shut down the engine. About 40 minutes later he re-started the engine, and started to taxi to runway 27. This was his first time at this airport, he landed during daylight and taxied for takeoff during darkness. The pilot was cleared to the hold short of runway 27, prior to getting clearance for takeoff. After getting clearance for takeoff, the PIC turned to the right placing him on a parallel taxiway that leads to runway 27, and immediately went to full power, unaware that he was on the taxiway and not on runway 27. The tower made several attempts to stop the pilot before the airplane crossed the approach end of runway 27. After departing the hard surface the airplane went into a grassy area, down a 40 foot drop off, coming to rest inverted. The pilot admitted to have erred in judgment causing this accident. The pilot received his private pilot rating April 2001. He had a total of 117 hours in all aircraft, of which 8 hours were of night operations.
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: 117 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 29, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2001; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-144G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AHN Athens GA at 11:27 pm
- Destination: 16J Dawson GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,522 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KAHN
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.