Beech V35 accident near Powelton, Georgia, April 29, 1996
On April 29, 1996 at about 4:11 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N102A, was destroyed in an accident near Powelton, 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
the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather conditions, resulting in an in-flight separation of the left wing and ruddervator. Factors in this accident were: level three and four thunderstorms, intense to extreme precipitation, and severe turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1996 · about 4:11 pm local time
- Place
- Powelton, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N102A · no longer on the register · serial D-8263
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was briefed that thunderstorms were developing along his planned route of flight, and were forecast to become 'severe.' In addition, he received a hazardous weather information alert (HIWAS), with hail, wind gusts to 70 knots, and cloud tops to 55,000 feet. The pilot contacted ATC and expressed his concern about the weather on his route of flight. ATC cleared him to deviate around the weather. While deviating around the weather, the pilot said to the controller, '...I'm into a cell here I think I need to get down...Bonanza one zero two alpha I need to go down.' The pilot was cleared to descend to 5,000 feet, and 1 minute and 2 seconds after being cleared to descend, the pilot said to the controller, 'I'm in a pretty bad cell I need help, over.' Radar and radio communication with the flight was lost and never reestablished. The last recorded radar return showed the airplane at an altitude of 6,700 feet, heading in a northeasterly direction. Before the airplane impacted the ground, a witness said he heard an airplane 'in a steep descent, straight down dive,' and the engine was running until he heard a 'loud boom.' The witness said, the weather at the time was 'lightning, thunder, and strong winds.' The left wing and tail stabilizer had separated from the airframe prior to impact . A weather study revealed that at the time of the accident the airplane had progressed into an area of strong thunderstorm activity with cloud tops of about 42,000 to 43,000 feet, with a level three to level four thunderstorm within 0.25 nautical mile of the flight, and a level four thunderstorm within 0.5 nautical mile. In addition, the thunderstorms contained intense to extreme precipitation, severe to extreme turbulence, and hail.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,308 hours in all; 952 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,016 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 1995; 210 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRN Greenville AL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: AIK Aiken SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,200 ft; scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AGS, 44 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.
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.