Beech A36 accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, August 9, 1996
On August 9, 1996 at about 2:05 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N976WL, was destroyed in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an inflight collision with the terrain (water) for undetermined reason(s). Factors relating to the accident were: failure of the pilot to obtain a preflight weather briefing, his failure to obtain in-flight weather avoidance assistance, and his resultant inadvertent encounter with a level three thunderstorm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1996 · about 2:05 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N976WL · no longer on the register · serial E-924
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight at 10,000 feet without weather avoidance radar on board the airplane, the flight encountered adverse weather associated with a level 3 weather echo. Altitude excursions of 5,000 fpm and 4,000 fpm decreases and increases were noted respectively. Groundspeed excursions were also noted. Radar and radio contact were lost, when the flight was at 8,400 feet. Recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of heat damage. According to a friend of the pilot, he had little actual instrument experience and would have avoided adverse weather. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing with an FAA facility nor with DUAT.
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: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYBG Great Harbor Cy OF at 1:48 pm
- Destination: KPBI West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from MYG, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.