GREENVILLE, GA, USA
N3810L
BEECH 58P
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS BEFORE DEPARTURE AND WAS AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH WEATHER AVOIDANCE EQUIPMENT. THE PILOT COMMUNICATED TO RADAR CONTROLLERS THAT HE WAS IN SOME TURBULENCE AND WISHED TO LAND AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO AN AIRPORT, HE RADIOED THAT HE WAS IN A THUNDERSTORM AND THAT 'HE COULD NOT CONTROL ANYTHING.' AN IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE EMPENNAGE AND WINGS OCCURRED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN, LIGHTNING, AND THUNDER IN THE AREA.
CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE PLANE AND OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE STABILIZERS AND WINGS. THE ADVERSE WEATHER (WITH THUNDERSTORMS) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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