20151007017479A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech S35 · Knoxville, TN · October 7, 2015

Date: October 7, 2015 · 06:30 local
Place: Knoxville, TN
Airport: Downtown Island Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N449CT
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA16LA003
Reported as: Beech S35
Reported engine: Continental IO-520
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total190 in this make and model29 in the last 90 days

N449CTRegistration cancelled Mar 23, 2018 · Beech S35S/N D-7912 · Built 1965 Airframe modelBeech S35 Engine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The aircraft departed VFR on runway 8 at dkx (Downtown Island Airport, Knoxville TN). The airport weather reporting (METAR) indicated the ceiling at 200 feet with 1/4 mile visibility. The aircraft impacted trees and brush approximately 600 feet from the end of runway at an altitude of 10 feet. The aircraft then impacted the ground in an open grassy field and slid on its belly with the gear up for another 500 feet before coming to a stop. The aircraft impact was at high speed with indications of the engine at takeoff power. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wings, tail, engine and propeller with no fire. The pilot and passenger were injured; they were transported to ut medical center in Knoxville TN.

Additional information: personnel at the airport observed there was limited visibility and they could not see the runway after the time of departure. The pilot was IFR rated, but there was no flight plan filed or communication with ATC.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED VFR ON RUNWAY 8 AT DKX (DOWNTOWN ISLAND AIRPORT, KNOXVILLE TN). THE AIRPORT WEATHER REPORTING (METAR) INDICATED THE CEILING AT 200 FEET WITH 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES AND BRUSH APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY AT AN ALTITUDE OF 10 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND IN AN OPEN GRASSY FIELD AND SLID ON ITS BELLY WITH THE GEAR UP FOR ANOTHER 500 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT WAS AT HIGH SPEED WITH INDICATIONS OF THE ENGINE AT TAKEOFF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, TAIL, ENGINE AND PROPELLER WITH NO FIRE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED; THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO UT MEDICAL CENTER IN KNOXVILLE TN.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: PERSONNEL AT THE AIRPORT OBSERVED THERE WAS LIMITED VISIBILITY AND THEY COULD NOT SEE THE RUNWAY AFTER THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. THE PILOT WAS IFR RATED, BUT THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED OR COMMUNICATION WITH ATC.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA16LA003Accident · Serious injuriesClass 2 · LimitedFinal reportKnoxville, TNThe pilot's inadequate preflight weather planning and his improper decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight in night instrument metrological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent collision with terrain.Oct 7, 2015 · Substantial damage