This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N66519
- History of Flight:
On March 7, 2026, at about 1843 local time, a privately-registered Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, N66519, was destroyed when it impacted the waters near Gulf Shores, Alabama. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The cross-country personal flight originated from Palm Coast-Flagler County Airport (FIN/KFIN), Palm Coast, Florida, and was destined to Gulf Shores-Edwards Airport (JKA/KJKA), Gulf Shores, Alabama.
According to preliminary automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, the previous day, on March 6, 2026, at 0830 LT, the airplane departed KJKA and flew a 2hour-20minutes flight to KFIN. The flight appeared uneventful. On the day of the accident, at 1723 LT, the airplane departed KFIN and entered a climbing left turn to an inflight cruising altitude of 5,900 ft. At 1824 LT, the airplane started a descent towards Gulf Shores. At 1836 LT, the airplane was flying at 1,475 ft and over the water south of the airport. At 1840:34, the airplane started a right turn. At 1842:02, the airplane started another right turn about 11 miles west of the airport. At 1842:29, the airplane a descent from 1,475 ft while still in the turn. At 1842:42, the airplane was at 950 ft, 157 knots groundspeed, and descending 4200 feet per minute (fpm) on a track heading of 120.7°. For the next 5-6 seconds, the airplane descended to about 775 ft before it initiated a 1800 feet per minute (fpm) climb. The airplane disappeared from tracking data and reappeared at 1843:07, it was at 750 ft, 168 knots groundspeed, and descending 5800 feet per minute (fpm) on a track heading of 44.8°. The last ADS-B return was recorded at 1843:10, the airplane was at 500 ft, 177 knots groundspeed, and descending 5800 feet per minute (fpm) about 8.50 miles west of the airport.
- Pilot Information:
While the pilot(s) remains unnamed. The current registered owner holds a private pilot certificate that was last issued/updated on 2/19/2025 with a rating for airplane single engine land and an instrument rating. His third class FAA medical was issued on 8/2024, with a note that he must use corrective lens(es) to meet vision standards at all required distances.
- Airplane Information:
The accident aircraft, serial number E-2054, was manufactured in 1852. It was a 6-seat, low-wing, retractable gear, single engine airplane powered by a Continental IO-550 engine. The aircraft was equipped for IFR flight.
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
Unknown.
- Airport Information:
Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field is a public airport located 2 miles north of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The airport does feature an air traffic control tower. The airport field elevation is 17.1 ft. The airport features two runways, runway 9/27 asphalt/grooved in good condition which is 6962 x 100 ft, and runway 17/35 which is asphalt in good condition which is 3596 x 75 ft.
The airport features three different instrument approaches, an ILS/LOC for runway 27, an RNAV (GPS) for runway 27, and an RNAV (GPS) for runway 9.
The RNAV 9 approach (for all category aircraft) landing weather minimums were 400 ft AGL ceiling and 1 statue mile visibility.
- Weather:
The reported weather at 1755 LT, included winds from 110 at 8 knots, 8 miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 500ft AGL, a temperature of 22°C, a dewpoint of 21°C, an 30.06 inches of mercury. The reported weather at 1955 LT, included winds from 110 at 8 knots, 2.5 miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 200ft AGL, a temperature of 21°C, a dewpoint of 21°C, an 30.07 inches of mercury. The 1855 LT reading was not reported.
(1) METARs:
METAR KJKA 072255Z 11009G14KT 10SM BKN007 23/21 A3006
METAR KJKA 080155Z 11008KT 2 1/2SM 2V4 BR OVC002 21/21 A3007
(2) Area Forecast Discussion:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Mobile AL 630 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 628 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026 - HIGH rip current risk continues today through Sunday night for coastal Alabama and northwest Florida beaches. - Patchy dense fog is possible overnight into the pre-dawn hours over the next several nights. - Slow progression of the storms on Sunday morning could lead to localized flooding concerns across our southernmost counties, mainly in urban areas if storms can train over the same locations. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1253 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026 Scattered showers and storms this afternoon give way to a line of thunderstorms this evening into the overnight hours that slowly progresses across the area from northwest to southeast. This line will likely be weakening as it moves across the area, with current expectations continuing to be for gusty winds to 40mph and locally heavy rainfall. Weak shear around 20 knots combined with around 1,000j/kg of CAPE should help support a few stronger storms in the most robust parts of the line. This line will reach the coast prior to daybreak Sunday, moving offshore sometime early Sunday morning. There remains some signal for heavier rainfall with this, but the more progressive nature of the line should limit rainfall totals to around 1 to 3 inches. This will limit any concerns for flash flooding unless we get some form of training over urban areas. We may manage to get enough instability in place in the wake of this for scattered showers and thunderstorms Sunday afternoon. Monday will likely feature a few showers and storms across the area, but most locations will likely stay dry. The aforementioned line of storms should keep fog prospects pretty low for most locations tonight, with patchy, locally dense fog possible prior to the lines passage. Best chances for fog will be confined to the coast as sea fog overspreads the marine waters this evening into the overnight hours. Beach hazards continue into Sunday as a High Risk for rip currents remains in place for all of our local beaches. The rip current risk is anticipated to gradually diminish to a Moderate risk for Monday and a Low risk for Tuesday, however in advance of the next potent system the rip current risk will likely increase back to a High risk Wednesday into Wednesday night. Dry weather continues to be anticipated for Tuesday under the influence of upper ridging aloft. There is an increasing signal for the potential of severe weather as we head into the Wednesday and Wednesday night timeframe. CIPS analog guidance is fairly robust on severe weather potential across much of the southeastern U.S., which makes sense given the overall trough evolution and anticipation for strong wind shear, ample instability, and good forcing overhead. There remain questions on timing of the best forcing over the forecast area, with some guidance bringing the system through during the day and others during the night. If it`s during the day, a greater threat could evolve with more instability in place. If it`s during the night, the threat may be tempered somewhat with generally weaker instability. It remains something to monitor as we continue through the weekend into early next week. MM/25 && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 628 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026 Cigs and visbys will quickly decrease to IFR and LIFR this evening as a line of storms approach from the northwest. Showers and thunderstorms will move into the area after midnight and slowly weaken as it approaches the coast. VLIFR to LIFR cigs will accompany the storms before clearing during the mid-morning hours tomorrow. Winds will remain southerly and light outside of any storms. /13 && .MARINE... Issued at 1253 PM CST Sat Mar 7 2026 A light to moderate southeasterly to southerly flow continues through the weekend and into the middle of next week. Dense fog remains possible near the coastline for the next several nights. At least Small Craft conditions are possible by Wednesday night into Thursday night as winds turn northerly, with the potential for gale force gusts. MM/25
- Additional Information:
None.
