- Date
- September 25, 1995, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Knoxville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8500ABeech A35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950925030179A
- Case key
- 3626
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 use the carburetor heat during the approach. The factors were: failure to obtain a weather briefing, and weather conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor icing.
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 commercial pilot abandoned the approach to a grass strip when he realized that the landing and roll out could not be executed on the remaining runway. During the go-around attempt, the engine developed a gradual loss of power, and the airplane settled into trees on the departure end of the runway. The airplane finally came to rest on top of a residential garage. During the subsequent functional engine examination, the engine operated normally. According to the pilot, he did not receive a weather briefing, and he was not aware of weather conditions that were favorable for the formation of carburetor icing. Carburetor heat was only checked, not used, by the pilot during the approach.
Factual narrative
On September 25, 1995, at 1645 eastern daylight time, a Beech BE-35-A35, N8500A, collided with the roof of a garage while on approach to Sanders Field in Knoxville, Tennessee. The personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight departed from Knoxville, Tennessee, at 1515 hours.
The pilot stated that he was landing at Sanders Field to get some maintenance performed on N8500A. He abandoned the approach when he realized that the landing and roll out could not be executed safely with the remaining runway. During the climb out phase of the go-around the engine developed a gradual loss of power. The pilot reported that the aircraft quit climbing and collided with a tree, and subsequently came to rest on a residential garage on the departure end of the runway.
Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a component failure. During the subsequent functional engine examination, the engine operated normally. According to the pilot, he did not receive a weather briefing, and he was not aware of weather conditions that were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice (see attached carburetor icing probability curve). The pilot also stated the carburetor heat was only checked, not used, on the approach. According to the aircraft before landing checklist, "if icing conditions are indicated, carburetor heat may be carried, however, less power will be available for a go-around."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8500A
- Reported as
- Beech A35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D1922
- Airframe hours
- 6,805
- Engine
- Continental E-225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Perry Pemberton
- Registered owner
- Scott County Airtranst Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 1995
- Departed
- DKX · TN
- Airport
- NONE · Sanders Field, runway 6, 1,100 × 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,041 total · 215 in this make and model · 988 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TYS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.