- Date
- August 11, 1989, 21:18 local (Aug 12, 1989, 01:18 UTC)
- Place
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N25805Beech A-36
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 11, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890811028779A
- Case key
- 7913
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 failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering for a landing. Contributing factors were: the pilot's failure to follow the emergency procedures for an autopilot malfunction, and pilot fatigue.
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
At 2028, after a missed apch at destination, the plt reported he couldn't get the autopilot off & was fighting hard to control the airplane. ATC offered suggestions to disengage autopilot, including turning off master switch; plt reported no change. During the next 45 minutes the pilot was provided vectors and assistance; plt frequently did not respond to instructions. Final vectors were to Chapel Hill airport; radar data lost. Wreckage oriented over an area of a normal base to rwy 8. Elevator trim was found in a full tab-up (nose-down) position. Aprx 45 lbs of stick force would be necessary to hold the airplane level. The approved flight manual supplement for the king kfc 200 autopilot system contained emergency procedures for autopilot/electric trim malfunctions. These procedures require that the aircraft be retrimmed manually.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25805
- Reported as
- Beech A-36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E2310
- Airframe hours
- 314
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John Aire Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 18, 1989 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- ISO · Kinston, NC
- Destination
- W27 · Smithfield, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 71
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 20° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 20 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 16, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 20.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.