# Accident 20000530012459A: Beech C23, Smyrna, TN, May 30, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 30, 2000, 15:15 local time - Place: Smyrna, TN - Airport: Smyrna - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.9798° N, 86.5103° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9798&lon=-86.5103&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6645P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6645P-2000-11-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech C23 (registry code 1151242, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c23) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH C23 - Reported engine: LYC O360A4K - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 1,528 total, 192 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00FA177](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00FA177) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000530012459A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) THE A/C WAS OBSERVED BY A TOWER CONTROLLER ON THE UPSIND LEG FOLLOWING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING ON RWY 19, TO CLIMB TO APPROX. 200 FEET THEN WHEN NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE A/C WAS OBSERVED TO BANK TO THE LEFT, PITCH NOSE DOWN, THEN THE TOWER CONTROLLER LOST SIGHT DUE TO OBSTRUCTIONS. A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE SPUTTERING AND ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO ENGINE SOUND DURING THE DESCENT. THE CRASH SITE WHICH WAS ON PROPERTY LEASED TO THE SMYRNA MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, WAS LOCATED APPROX 1,100 FEET SOUTH-SE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 19. (.4) TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE CFI AND PILOT-RATED LEFT SEAT OCCUPANT WERE UNABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING AFTER STARTING BEFORE A FLIGHT; THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN BETWEEN THEN AND THE ACCIDENT DATE 1.5 HOURS WITH NO MAINTENANCE OR DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE PILOT-RATED OCCUPANT WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FUEL SELECTOR FINDING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND OFFERED TO BE CHECKED OUT; HE REFUSED. THE ENGINE QUIT AFTER STARTING ON THE ACCIDENT DATE BUT WAS RESTARTED. A WITNESS SAW CONFUSION ON THE LEFT SEAT OCCUPANTS FACE WHILE LOOKING AT THE ENGINE GAUGES FOLLOWING THE ENGINE QUITTING. HE ALSO SAW HIM MOVING THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE. DURING CLIMBOUT FOLLOWING A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING, WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTERING AND OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ROLL TO THE LEFT AND PITCH NOSE DOWN. BROWNING OF GRASS FORWARD OF EACH WING FUEL TANK WAS NOTED; 4 GALLONS OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. APPROXIMATELY 2 OUNCES OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL; THE FLEXIBLE HOSE FROM THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR WAS DRY. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND NOT IN A DETENT BUT NEAR ONE OF THE "OFF" POSITIONS. THE ARROW ON THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WHICH POINTS TO THE TANK SELECTED WAS FOUND TO BE PAINTED RED CONTRARY TO THE ENGINEERING DRAWING. FUEL SELECTOR HANDLES FROM AIRPLANES FLOWN BY THE PILOT-RATED LEFT SEAT OCCUPANT CONSISTED OF THE LONGER END POINTING TO THE TANK SELECTED. THE PILOT-RATED LEFT SEAT OCCUPANT AND CFI HAD NO RECORDED FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE. IMPACT SIGNATURES ON THE CO-PILOT'S CONTROL COLUMN CORRELATE TO A RIGHT ROLL AND AFT ELEVATOR INPUT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA00FA177](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00FA177), May 30, 2000: Beech C23 (N6645P), Smyrna, TN, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the dual student to maintain airspeed following total loss of engine power resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent. Also, inadequate supervision by the… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.