ATL04CA136

NTSB accident investigation · Beech A23 · Columbia, TN · June 20, 2004

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 20, 2004, 09:40 local (14:40 UTC)
Place
Columbia, TN
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N1435LBeech A23
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 29, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20040620017429A
Case key
59544

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during climb and the pilot's failure to execute a go-around before completing the approach to land.

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.

In flight collision with objectTakeoff - initial climb
Object - tree(s)
Clearance - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Remedial action - not performedPilot in commandCause
Go-around - not performedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The pilot established an approach to land on runway 23 with full flaps, he landed just past the threshold. The pilot stated he had landed with too much airspeed and retracted his flaps to help with his braking. He then decided that he did not have enough runway left to make a full stop landing and applied full power in an attempt to make a go-around. The pilot reports that the airplane cleared the end of the runway with a slight climb and collided with the trees on the departure end of the runway. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane during the flight. The pilot reported in the recommendation section of the pilot report that " the decision to go around should have been made earlier and flaps should have been re-lowered to assist in lift."

Factual narrative

On June 20, 2004, at approximately 0940 central daylight time, a Beech A23, N1435L, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with trees during an attempted takeoff from Hunter field in Columbia, Tennessee. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The private pilot received minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Maury County Airport Nashville, Tennessee, at 0900.

The pilot made a touch and go landing followed by a full stop at John A. Baker Field, Hohenwald, TN (0M3). The pilot departed John A. Baker Field and decided to make a full-stop landing at Hunter Field. The pilot established an approach to land on runway 23 with full flaps, he landed just past the threshold. The pilot stated he had landed with too much airspeed and retracted his flaps to help with his braking. He then decided that he did not have enough runway left to make a full stop landing and applied full power in an attempt to make a go-around. The pilot reports that the airplane cleared the end of the runway with a slight climb and collided with the trees on the departure end of the runway.

According to a witness, the pilot was "landing but had misjudged the landing field and ran out of runway, so he took off again but failed to gain altitude and drifted sideways into trees."

The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane during the flight. The pilot reported in the recommendation section of the pilot report that " the decision to go around should have been made earlier and flaps should have been re-lowered to assist in lift."

Aircraft

Registration
N1435L
Reported as
Beech A23
Category
Airplane
Serial number
M-830
Engine
Continental IO-346, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Charles Gaines
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
06TC · Columbia/Mount, TN
Destination
MRC · Maury County, TN
Flight plan
Unknown
Airport
PVT · Hunter Field, runway 23, 2,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf

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
52
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Seat
Left
Flight hours
159 total · 33 in this make and model · 100 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
BNA

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.