Pilot Killed in Beechcraft 95-B55 Crash Near Metter, Georgia

A commercial pilot was killed Monday when a Beechcraft 95-B55, registration N55FD, crashed and was destroyed shortly after departing John Edwin Jones Sr. Field/Metter Municipal Airport (MHP) in Metter, Georgia. The accident occurred at approximately 11:14 a.m. EDT on July 13, 2026, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data.

Local reports from WTOC and WJCL indicate the aircraft came down near Highway 121 South and Canoochee Road, landing approximately 40 feet from several residences. The Metter Fire Department extinguished a post-impact fire, and officials confirmed no ground injuries. The flight was operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.

NTSB preliminary data shows the pilot refueled with 114.42 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline before departing Runway 28. ADS-B data indicates the aircraft was airborne for approximately one minute and 50 seconds, reaching a maximum altitude of 400 feet mean sea level before the crash. A pilot-rated witness reported hearing a "choppy" engine sound during the takeoff roll, noting a longer-than-normal ground roll and a shallow climb. The NTSB and FAA continue to investigate the cause.