ATL82FA033

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT AT 0306 EST AND CLIMBED TO 13000 FEET MSL. THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 0422 WHEN THE PILOT OF THE UNPRESSURIZED BEECH 58 REQUESTED AND WAS GIVEN A LOWER ALTITUDE. DURING THE NEXT 35 MINUTES THE AIRCRAFT TURNED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AT LEAST 3 TIMES, COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, AND GENERALLY HAD TROUBLE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A 30-45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.THE RESULTS OF THE TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A BLOOD ETHANOL CONCENTRATION OF 200 MG%. A FLIGHT CHECK OF THE SAND HILLS VOR ON 1/4/82 REVEALED THAT THE VOR-A APPROACH WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE STRUCTURE AND A NOTAM WAS ISSUED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12