Beech 77 accident near Pink Hill, North Carolina, August 12, 1997
On August 12, 1997 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N6043T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pink Hill, North Carolina (Flying W airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the dual student to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall and uncontrolled descent until ground impact. Contributing to the accident was improper supervision of the dual student by the pilot-in-command flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1997 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pink Hill, North Carolina · Flying W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N6043T · no longer on the register · serial WA-13
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff the dual student was maneuvering the aircraft to clear trees ahead. As he turned toward an area of lower trees the nose of the aircraft dropped and the aircraft descended until ground impact. After ground impact the aircraft flipped over.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 475 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,656 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1997; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6N9 at 3:19 pm
- Destination: OAJ Jacksonville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 1,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from GSB, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.