Beech BE-76 accident near Rome, Georgia, March 21, 2008
On March 21, 2008 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Beech BE-76, registered N184AA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Rome, Georgia (Richard B. Russell airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering during a simulated engine failure. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's lack of total experience as a multiengine flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2008 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Rome, Georgia · Richard B. Russell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-76
- Registration
- N184AA · registry record · serial ME-400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was receiving instruction toward a multiengine airplane rating from a certificated flight instructor (CFI). The training syllabus for the flight included introduction to engine failures on takeoff and initial climb, as well as approaches and landings with an inoperative engine. The airplane was observed climbing at slow rate of speed after takeoff. When the airplane reached an altitude of 600 to 800 feet, it began a left turn, consistent with a return to the airport, which was followed by a nose-down descent toward the trees. The airplane impacted in a field and a postcrash fire consumed the majority of the airplane, forward of the empennage. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact malfunctions. The CFI had accumulated about 111 hours of total multiengine flight experience, all in the same make and model as the accident airplane. He received his CFI rating about 3 weeks prior to the accident and had accumulated about 60 hours of multiengine flight experience as a CFI.
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
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Engine out control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience in position › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 827 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 257 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 690 as pilot in command; 464 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 182 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,210 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 4, 2008; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,916 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-A1G6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-A1G6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aviation Atlanta
The flight
- Departed from: RMG Rome GA at 8:23 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from RMG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC08FA143.