# NTSB ERA20CA222: Beech 77, N3815Z, Elizabethton, TN, June 20, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 20, 2020, 08:00 local (12:00 UTC) - Place: Elizabethton, TN - Coordinates: 36.406944, -82.02111 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4069&lon=-82.0211&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101465 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA222 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101465/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101465 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA222 ## Probable cause The student pilot's decision to continue from visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and mountainous terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 77, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1153007), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: clouds](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035025/cases.md?model=1153007), [All aircraft, 108 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 77, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md?model=1153007), [All aircraft, 392 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Beech 77, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=1153007), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 77, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1153007), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot and his passenger departed on a visual flight rules cross country flight and entered instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot decided to continue climbing, and when the airplane exited the clouds, the student pilot saw the top of a mountain and trees directly in front of him. He “stalled” the airplane to reduce speed and the airplane impacted trees at a speed of about 60 knots before it descended to the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, but the student pilot and the passenger were uninjured. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane what would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further stated that he made a mistake and took full responsibility for the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3815Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3815Z-2022-07-12), registration cancelled 2022-07-12, S/N WA-219, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 77 (No Series) - Registry model: [Beech 77](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-77) (registry code 1153007) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: WA-219 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 6547.4 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 L2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 24, 2019 - Departed: MOR, Morristown, TN - Destination: PHF, Newport News, VA - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Data recorder, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 150 total, 40 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,100 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: A09, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200620005879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200620005879A), Jun 20, 2020: Beech 77, Elizabethton, TN, Destroyed. On June 20, [privacy data omitted] departed kmor for kphf with a passenger on board. [privacy data omitted] Encountered IMC conditions. Once [privacy data… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101465. 7.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11356361&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 649 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11847080&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.