- Date
- April 29, 2004, 13:43 local (17:43 UTC)
- Place
- Athens, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7908MBeech D95A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040429030549A
- Case key
- 59306
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's misjudgment of airspeed and distance which resulted in an overshoot of the runway and collision with ground. The tailwind was a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot initially called Athens Air Traffic Control Tower 7 miles south of the airport and was instructed to report a right base for runway 09. The pilot called 2 minutes later on a long right base for runway 09. The pilot was cleared to land on runway 09 at that time. The pilot called the tower back 1 mile on final for runway 02, saying he was on final for runway 09. The Tower informed the pilot that he was on final for runway 02 and was cleared to land. The pilot acknowledged the clearance for runway 02 and proceeded to land. The pilot stated to the airport assistant manager that he landed fast and past the numbers. The pilot applied brakes and the aircraft went severely to the right side of the runway; reporting there was no left brake. The airplane was centered again on the runway and the pilot re-applied the brakes. The airplane veered to the right again; reportedly still no left brake. The pilot could not stop the airplane. There was not enough runway left to take off, so the pilot decided to let the airplane exit off the end of the runway into the grass and roll to a stop. Upon entering the grass at the end of the runway, the pilot saw a fence on the downward slope of a gulley. The pilot then decided to add power and lower the flaps to the "fly" over the fence and gulley. The pilot cleared the fence and gulley. However, after landing on the opposite side the nose gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear collapsed, damage to the nose cone, brakes, right wing spar and the tail. Damage to both propellers and engines were due to propeller strikes.
Factual narrative
On April 29, 2004 at 1343 eastern daylight time, a Beech D95A, N7908M, registered to and operated by Travelers Air LLC, rolled off the end of runway 02 after landing, and collided with the ground at Athens/Ben Epps Airport, Athens, Georgia. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Kissimmee Municipal, Orlando, Florida on April 29, 2004 at 1145.
The pilot initially radioed Athens Tower 7 miles south of the airport and was instructed by the tower controller to report a right base for runway 09. The pilot reported two minutes later on a long right base for runway 09. The pilot was cleared to land runway 09 at that time. The pilot called the tower back one mile on final for runway 02, saying he was on final for runway 09. The Tower informed the pilot that he was on final for runway 02 and cleared to land. The pilot acknowledged the clearance for runway 02 and proceeded to land. The pilot applied brakes and the aircraft went severely to the right side of the runway; reporting there was no left brake. The airplane was centered again on the runway and the pilot re-applied the brakes. The airplane veered to the right again; reportedly still no left brake. The pilot could not stop the airplane. There was not enough runway left to take off, so the pilot decided to let the airplane exit off the end of the runway into the grass and roll to a stop. Upon entering the grass, the pilot saw a fence on the downward slope of a gully about 200 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot then decided to add power and lower the flaps to "fly" over the fence and gully. The airplane cleared the fence and gully. However, after landing on the opposite side, the nose gear collapsed coming to rest 500 feet beyond the end of runway 02.
The Beech D95A has a stall speed of 61 miles per hour and its landing ground roll is 1015 feet long. Runway 02 at Athens/Ben Epps Airport is 4000 feet long. The pilot had a tailwind of 6 knots at 180 degrees at the time of the accident. The pilot stated to the airport assistant manager that he landed fast and past the runway numbers.
The pilot did not report any mechanical problems prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear collapsed and damage to the nose cone, right wing spar and the tail. The brake pads were worn. Both propellers and engines were damaged. An employee of the wreckage recovery company, who operated the brakes while towing the airplane, noticed, "the left brake did not perform as well as the right brake."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7908M
- Reported as
- Beech D95A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TD663
- Airframe hours
- 4,258.3
- Engines
- Lycoming IO-360 BIB, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming IO-360 BIB, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Travelers Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Travelers Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 9, 2003 · 105 hours before
- Departed
- ISM · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- AHN · Athens, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KAHN · Athens / Ben Epps, runway 02, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- March 27, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 28 in this make and model · 1,130 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- KAHN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.