# Accident 20151007017479A: Beech S35, Knoxville, TN, October 7, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2015, 06:30 local time
- Place: Knoxville, TN
- Airport: Downtown Island Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9500° N, 85.8544° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9500&lon=-85.8544&mi=10
- Aircraft: N449CT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N449CT-2018-03-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech S35 (registry code 1151532, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-s35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH S35
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 300 total, 190 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA003) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151007017479A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ERA16LA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA003), Oct 7, 2015: Beech S35 (N449CT), Knoxville, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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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