# Accident 20210529007099A: Cessna 501, Smyrna, TN, May 29, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 29, 2021, 11:15 local time
- Place: Smyrna, TN
- Airport: Smyrna
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0334° N, 86.4814° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0334&lon=-86.4814&mi=10
- Aircraft: N66BK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N66BK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 501 (registry code 2076603, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-501) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-1 series (registry code 52060, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-jt15d-1-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 501
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA JT15D-1
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 7
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,680 total, 83 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21FA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA234) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210529007099A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 29,2021, ABOUT 1055 CST, N66BK, A CE-501, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED LAKE PERCY PRIEST SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM KMQY, SMYRNA TENNESSEE. THE PILOT, THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER, AND THE FIVE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATING UNDER PART 91.

THE FLIGHT WAS FILED IFR, DESTINED FOR KBI. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE 414 GAL OF JET A WERE ADDED TO TOP OFF THE AIRCRAFT FOR A TOTAL OF 574 GAL.

N66BK TAXIED TO RWY 32 FOR DEPARTURE. PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR T/O AND INSTRUCTED TO FLY HDG 090 AND CLIMB TO 3000 FEET.

N66BK DEPARTED AT 1053:06 AND MADE A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT BNA APPROACH. AT 1054:27 DEPARTURE CONTROL ASKED IF THEY WERE "ON FREQUENCY". THE PILOT RESPONDED WITH "N66BK IS WITH YOU". THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED N66BK TO TURN TO A HDG OF 130 WITH NO RESPONSE. AT 1054:46, THE CONTROLLER ASKED N66BK IF THE PILOT COPIED THE HDG INSTRUCTIONS. THE PILOT RESPONDED WITH 130....KB.

AT 1055:11, THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED N66BK TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 15,000 FT MSL, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO CONTACT N66BK BUT NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WAS ESTABLISHED.

A REVIEW OF RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRPLANE MADE A SERIES OF HEADING CHANGES ALONG WITH SEVERAL CLIMBS AND DESCENTS BEFORE IT ENTERED A STEEP, DESCENDING LEFT-HAND TURN. THE LAST RADAR RETURN INDICATED THE AIRPLANE WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 700 FT MSL, DESCENDING AT 31,000 FPM, ON A HEADING OF 090 DEGREES.

A WITNESS WAS FISHING ON THE BANK DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AS A LOW CEILING AND MIST. THE WITNESS HEARD WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A LOW FLYING MIILITARY JET BEFORE HE SAW THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE LAKE IN A "STRAIGHT DOWN" ATTITUDE. HE DID NOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF FIRE OR AN EXPLOSION PRIOR TO IMPACT.

AT 1056, THE WEATHER REPORTED AT KMQY WAS WIND AT 310/10, VIS 10MI, OVC 1300 FT. TEMP 14C, DEW POINT 12C, ALTIMETER 30.04

WEIGHT & BALANCE / CG ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED BY TEXTRON AVIATION WITH THE DATA AVAILABLE. UTILIZING THE ORIGINAL AIRCRAFT WEIGHT, OCCUPANT WEIGHTS, 22LBS OF BAGGAGE AND FULL FUEL. AIRCRAFT GROSS WEIGHT WAS 11,305 VS MAX T/O WEIGHT OF 11,850. AIRCRAFT CG WAS COMPUTED SHOWING THE MOST AFT CG IS OUTSIDE THE REAR CG ENVELOP, THE MOST FORWARD CG IS JUST INSIDE THE REAR ENVELOPE.

A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED HE HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 1680.5 HOURS, OF WHICH 83 HOURS WERE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 39.8 HOURS OF ACTUAL INST TIME WITH 5.9 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.

PILOT IN COMMAND RECEIVED FLIGHT TRAINING FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHICH RESULTED IN UNSATISFACTORY PERFORCE AND WAS NOT AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PRACTICAL EVALUATION. ADDITIONAL FLIGHT TRAINING WAS SOUGHT UNDER PART 61 AND RESULTED IN THE ISSUANCE OF A CE-501 TYPE RATING.

NO PILOT IN COMMAND PROFICIENCY CHECK WAS CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 61.58

## 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 ERA21FA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA234), May 29, 2021: Cessna 501 (N66BK), Smyrna, TN, destroyed, 7 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control during climb due to spatial disorientation.

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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