# Accident 20131218024639A: Beech A36TC, Charlottesville, VA, December 18, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 18, 2013, 11:11 local time
- Place: Charlottesville, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.1572° N, 78.3922° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1572&lon=-78.3922&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3705Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3705Z-2018-01-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36TC (registry code 1151603, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36tc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36TC
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,185 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14FA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA075) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131218024639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, WHILE ON APPROACH TO CHARLOTTESVILLE-ALBEMARLE AIRPORT (CHO), CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM WOODBINE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (OBI), WOODBINE, NEW JERSEY, ABOUT 0945, AND WAS DESTINED FOR CHO. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED.

REVIEW OF PRELIMINARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL INFORMATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT CONTACTED CHO TOWER AT 1104 TO REPORT HE WAS 13 MILES FROM CHO AT 4,300 MEAN SEA LEVEL. A CHO TOWER CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED HIM TO ENTER A LEFT BASE FOR RUNWAY 21 AND REPORT 3 MILES. AT 1108, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE CONTROLLER ASKED FOR THE NATURE OF THE EMERGENCY AND THE PILOT REPORTED HIS ENGINE WAS DYING. CONTROLLER ASKED FOR SOULS ON BOARD AND FUEL. PILOT STATED 1 SOUL AND "SHOULD HAVE 2 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD"THE PILOT'S LAST TRANSMISSION TO CHO TOWER WAS AT 1110 WHEN HE STATED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT.

THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED IN FRONT OF A RESIDENCE, ABOUT 3 MILES EAST OF CHO. THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT WAS IDENTIFIED BY SEVERAL DAMAGED TREE LIMBS, AND A WRECKAGE PATH ABOUT 200 FEET IN LENGTH, ORIENTED APPROXIMATELY 090 DEGREES MAGNETIC, EXTENDING THROUGH THE IMPACT AREA. FRAGMENTS OF THE AIRPLANE, INCLUDING PORTIONS OF THE OUTBOARD RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS WERE LOCATED ALONG THE WRECKAGE PATH. THE ENGINE REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE, AND ALL THREE PROPELLER BLADES EXHIBITED POSTCRASH IMPACT DAMAGE WITH MINIMAL LEADING EDGE AND ROTATIONAL SIGNATURE DAMAGE.

INVESTIGATION STILL PENDING.

## 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 ERA14FA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA075), Dec 18, 2013: Beech A36TC (N3705Z), Chatlottesville, VA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to position the fuel selector handle in a fuel tank detent, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the pilot’s fatal injuries was…

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.

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