ATL97LA130

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 95-A55 · Murfreesboro, TN · September 1, 1997

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 1, 1997, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
Place
Murfreesboro, TN
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N437CGBeech 95-A55
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report January 30, 1998
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19970901039359A
Case key
3898

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 excessive airspeed, and improper touch down point during landing, that resulted in the runway end overun. Factors were the wet runway surface, and the embankment at the end of the runway.

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
Airspeed - excessivePilot in commandCause
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wetFactor
Nose gear collapsedLanding - roll
Terrain condition - drop-off/descending embankmentFactor

Analysis

The pilot stated to the inspector that upon landing at 110 knots airspeed he was unable to stop when full brakes were applied before departing the end of the wet runway. A witness stated that he saw the airplane land about halfway down the runway very fast. The witness, at the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane 'well high on the final approach glidepath', and that the airplane landed 'very fast' and touched down ' about mid field'. The FAA inspector stated, that after the airplane departed the end of the wet runway, it rolled down an embankment collapsing the nose gear and damaging the inboard structure of the left wing ribs, and the nose gear bulkhead on the right side. The flight manual for the Beech 95-A55 states the normal approach speed for this airplane is 87knots.

Factual narrative

On September 1, 1997, about 1540 central daylight time, a Beech 95-A55, N437CG, sustained substantial damage when it ran off the departure end of runway 36 during landing at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for this business flight. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight originated from Destin, Florida at 1245, on the same day. The pilot stated to the inspector that upon landing at 110 knots airspeed, he was unable to stop, when full brakes were applied, before departing the end of the wet runway. A witness, at the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane "well high on the final approach glidepath", and that the airplane landed "very fast" and touched down " about mid field". The FAA inspector stated, that after the airplane departed the end of the wet runway, it rolled down an embankment collapsing the nose gear, damaging the inboard structure of the left wing ribs, and the nose gear bulk head on the right side. The inspector found skid marks on the runway, and no mechanical or system malfunctions were identified during the wreckage examination. Runway 36 was 3800 feet in length and made of asphalt. The runway conditions for that day were 84 degrees Fahrenheit and light rain. According to the pilots operating handbook for the Beech 95-A55, the estimated landing roll for this airplane, at 84 degree Fahrenheit temperature, normal approach speed of 87 knots, and under dry conditions would be 1,650 ft.

Aircraft

Registration
N437CG
Reported as
Beech 95-A55
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TC468
Airframe hours
4,700
Engine
Continental IO-470, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Travel Methods,LLC
Registered owner
James W Hass
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 7, 1997 · 25 hours before
Departed
DTS · Destin, FL
Airport
MBT · Murfreesboro Muni Airport, runway 36, 3,800 × 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
53
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
275 total · 150 in this make and model · 168 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
40° at 4 knots
Visibility
2.5 statute miles
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
MBT

FAA reports on this event · 1

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