Beech C-24R accident near Bayou La Batre, Alabama, March 24, 2002
On March 24, 2002 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Beech C-24R, registered N18891, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bayou La Batre, Alabama (Roy E. Ray, Bayou La Batre airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft directional control while executing a go-around, resulting in an inflight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2002 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Bayou La Batre, Alabama · Roy E. Ray, Bayou La Batre · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-24R · all C-24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N18891 · no longer on the register · serial MC-515
- 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, his landing attempt resulted in a high flare, hard touchdown, and bounce. His attempt to go around resulted in a left drift off the left side of the runway and collision with adjacent trees due to his failure to attain the proper climb speed and to maintain directional control.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 477 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,088 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2001; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFM Mobile AL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 5R7 Bayou La Batre AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KBFM, 12 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.
Other NTSB records under N18891 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.