# NTSB ANC07CA010: Beech BE-23, N2319L, Asheville, NC, December 30, 2006

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 30, 2006, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Asheville, NC
- Coordinates: 35.581821, -82.553741
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5818&lon=-82.5537&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 25, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 65090
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC07CA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65090/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07CA010

## Probable cause

The pilot's continued VFR cruise flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with trees.  Factors associated with the accident were fog and low ceilings.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with object, emergency landing
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

The private pilot was conducting a Title 14, CFR Part 91 cross-country personal flight with three passengers.  While over an area of mountainous terrain, weather conditions began to deteriorate with fog, low ceilings, and poor visibility.  The weather conditions worsened, and the airplane entered a fog bank.  The pilot reported that after losing all visual reference with the mountainous terrain below, he leveled the airplane's wings, and began a shallow descent.  As the airplane emerged from the fog bank, the pilot saw a tree-covered mountain slope about 100 feet ahead, and he selected a forced landing site in the trees.  During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.

## Factual narrative

The private pilot was conducting a Title 14, CFR Part 91 cross-country personal flight with three passengers.  While over an area of mountainous terrain, weather conditions began to deteriorate with fog, low ceilings, and poor visibility.  The weather conditions worsened, and the airplane entered a fog bank.  The pilot reported that after losing all visual reference with the mountainous terrain below, he leveled the airplane's wings, and began a shallow descent.  As the airplane emerged from the fog bank, the pilot saw a tree-covered mountain slope about 100 feet ahead, and he selected a forced landing site in the trees.  During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2319L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2319L-2013-02-11), registration cancelled 2013-02-11, S/N M-145, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Beech BE-23
- Registry model: [Beech 23](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-23) (registry code 1151202) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: M-145
- Airframe hours: 4016.6
- Engines: Lycoming O320-D2B 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Gerald R. Ducatte
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 2006, 4 hours before
- Departed: OSU, COLUMBUS, OH
- Destination: 0A7, HENDERSONVILLE, NC

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 129 total, 129 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 200 ft
- Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.47 inHg

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20061230029159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061230029159A), Dec 30, 2006: Beech 23, Bee Tree Dam, NC, Destroyed. (-23) Pilot left Ohio, with plans to stop in hendersonville, NC for fuel on his way to orlando, Florida. He did not verify amount of fuel in tanks before…

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.

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