ATL96LA109

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 58P · Banner Elk, NC · July 20, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 20, 1996, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place
Banner Elk, NC
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N6461UBeech 58P
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 23, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
3744

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 misjudgment of distance and speed during the approach to land, and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway for the landing, which resulted in an overrun and collision with a tree.

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.

OverrunLanding - roll
Distance/speed - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

Upon arriving in the Banner Elk Airport area, the pilot established a traffic pattern for runway 12. He stated that, due to the high terrain features around the airport, runway 12 was the preferred runway for landings. The airplane touched down about 1,000 feet beyond the approach end of the 4,600 foot long runway. As the airplane rolled toward the end of the runway, the pilot applied heavy braking that resulted in a blown main landing gear tire. The airplane rolled off the departure end of the runway and down an embankment, and collided with a tree. No mechanical problems were reported with the airplane by the pilot.

Factual narrative

On July 20, 1996, at 1500 eastern daylight time, a Beech 58P, N6461U, collided with trees on the departure end of runway 12 at the Elk River Airport in Banner Elk, North Carolina. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 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 pilot was not injured. The flight departed Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at 1400.

Upon arriving in the Banner Elk Airport area, the pilot established a traffic pattern for runway 12. He stated that, due to the high terrain features around the airport, runway 12 was the preferred runway for landings. The airplane touched down about 1,000 feet beyond the approach end of the 4,600 foot long runway. As the airplane rolled toward the end of the runway, the pilot applied heavy braking that resulted in a blown main landing gear tire. The airplane rolled off the departure end of the runway and down an embankment, and collided with a tree.

According to the BE-58P airplane specification and performance data, at gross weight, the airplane would require approximately 1500 feet of runway for a normal landing roll. No mechanical problems were reported by the pilot.

Aircraft

Registration
N6461U
Reported as
Beech 58P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TJ-398
Airframe hours
2,710
Engine
Continental TSIO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
James A. Heavner
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 23, 1996 · 266 hours before
Departed
TDF · Roxboro, NC
Airport
5A7 · Elk River Airport, runway 12, 4,600 × 75 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
57
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
520 total · 405 in this make and model · 61 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
120° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 68 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
AVL, 35 nm away