Pilot Diverted from Grand Strand Due to Weather

The pilot who crashed in Dothan today (Saturday) diverted from Grand Strand Airport due to heavy storms. Two people died when the Beechcraft Baron went down at a high rate of speed just north of the state line.

Captain Robert Katz, a commercial pilot and flight instructor of more than 40 years, said in his opinion the crash was avoidable.

“This pilot should not have attempted this approach in those sky conditions,” he said. “This tragedy was entirely preventable.”

The twin-engine Beechcraft, tail number N-82UC, is registered to Majesty Air Inc. of Delaware, according to the Federal Aviation Administration website. The plane was built in 1973 and had a valid airworthiness certificate.

FlightAware, an app that tracks aircraft, showed the plane left Spartanburg, S.C. at 11:29 a.m. At 12:47 p.m. the pilot was attempting to land at Grant Strand during a thunderstorm. Katz said multiple aircraft were grounded or being diverted at the time due to the thunderstorm and misting rain.

“The pilot attempted to approach and land at Grand Strand, then abandoned the attempt and diverted the north toward Tabor City,” Katz explained.

Dangerous storm conditions were present across the entire area when the pilot tried to land. Weather data two minutes after the plane changed course showed a 20-knot (23 miles per hour) southwest wind, with 30-knot (35 mph) gusts. Visibility was about 1.5 statutory miles. Frequent lightning was observed in the area.

Radio traffic indicated the air traffic controller at Grand Strand warned the pilot that he was at a dangerously low altitude before losing contact. An altitude warning signal can be heard going off in the background of the conversation between the pilot and the Grand Strand tower.

Katz said in his opinion the pilot did not sound like he had a specific plan when he diverted from Grand Strand. Several airports that were not seeing dangerous storm conditions were within range, Katz said.

FlightAware data shows the plane was traveling 267 miles per hour at an altitude of around 200 feet when it dropped off radar.

The names of the pilot and passenger have not been released. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.