MIA00FA069

At 1532, the pilot of N9740Y departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight, and during the flight he had been receiving VFR flight following. According to the FAA transcript of communications, the pilot had twice requested progressively lower altitudes to maintain VFR. The controller approved the second request for a lower altitude, but told the pilot that at that altitude Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) might not be able to maintain radar contact with his aircraft at that low an altitude. The pilot's third request was for 7,500 feet to avoid turbulence, and at 1619 the pilot changed his destination from Tri-cities Regional Airport to Hawkins County Airport. At 1622:39 the pilot reported to that he was descending out of five thousand three hundred feet. The controller acknowledged, providing the local altimeter setting for the nearest weather reporting station, the Tri-Cities Airport. At 1622:50 the pilot acknowledged the Tri-cities altimeter setting, stating, 'three zero two six roger.' At 1628.26 the controller said, 'niner seven four zero yankee radar contact lost squawk one two zero zero cleared to advisory frequency good afternoon'. The controller made one last transmission at 1628:26, saying 'niner seven four zero yankee Atlanta.' There were no further communications with the pilot of N9740Y. N9740Y struck Clinch mountain, about 6.7 miles northwest of Hawkins County Airport, in a level flight attitude, as indicated by the freshly cut trees, at an altitude of about 2,350 feet, about 50 feet below the 2,400-foot elevation. At the time of the accident, the Tri-Cities Regional Airport was reporting a ceiling of 1,300 feet overcast. Witnesses at Hawkins County Airport stated that the ceiling and visibility had been both low at Hawkins County Airport, and the airport had been closed due to the weather. The pilot held a private pilot airplane single engine land certificate, with no instrument rating.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 16, 2000, about 1630 eastern standard time, (all times are eastern standard time, based on the 24 hour clock) a Beech P-35, N9740Y, registered to a private owner, and operated as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed into Clinch Mountain, about 6 miles north of Rogersville, Tennessee. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The flight originated from Louisville, Kentucky, the same day about 1532.

The flight was en route from Bowman Field, Louisville, Kentucky, to Tri-cities Regional Airport, and prior to departure, the pilot of N9740Y had informed Bowman Ground Control/Clearance Delivery that he was requesting radar service to Tri-cities (TRI) at 3,000 feet. At 1522, the pilot was given taxi instructions to runway 32, and issued radar service information. At 1532, the pilot was cleared for takeoff from runway 32 at Bowman Field, and at 1533 he was advised to contact Louisville Departure Control.

At 1534, the pilot contacted Louisville Departure Control on a radar service departure from Bowman Field, and was cleared to climb under visual flight rules (VFR) to his requested altitude of 3,500 feet. At 1535, the pilot was told to proceed on course to Tri-Cities. At 1537, the pilot received clearance to climb VFR to 5,500 feet, and at 1545, he was handed off to Lexington Approach Control.

At 1552, the pilot advised Lexington Approach Control that he needed to descend to maintain VFR, and he was cleared to descend to 4,500 feet, and told to maintain VFR by the controller. At 1556, the pilot again advised Lexington Approach Control that he needed a lower altitude, and was cleared to an altitude of 3,500 feet, and told to maintain VFR. He was also told that FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) might not be able to maintain radar contact with his aircraft at that low an altitude. At 1559, the flight was handed off to Indianapolis ARTCC, and at 1600, another aircraft relayed instructions for the pilot of N9740Y to contact Indianapolis Center on a frequency of 121.32. The pilot made initial contact, as instructed, reporting that he was at 3,500 feet. The pilot was then notified of the London, Kentucky altimeter setting. At 1606 the pilot advised ARTCC that "it was bumpy," and he would like to climb to 7,500 feet. The controller approved the pilot's request, and told the pilot to maintain VFR. The controller also told the pilot that at 7,000 feet the flight should be "on top."

At 1619, the pilot advised ARTCC that he would be changing his destination to Hawkins County Airport (RVN), Rogersville, Tennessee, and that he was going to start his descent, and the controller acknowledged the pilot's communication, and told him to maintain VFR. At 1620 Indianapolis ARTCC initiated coordination with Atlanta ARTCC to facilitate the pilot's change in destination, and at 1621 communications with the pilot of N9740Y was passed from Indianapolis ARTCC to Atlanta ARTCC.

At 1622:39, the pilot reported to Atlanta ARTCC that he was descending out of five thousand three hundred feet. At 1622:44, the Atlanta ARTCC controller responded " nine seven four zero yankee atlanta center roger tri city altimeter three zero two six." At 1622:50, the pilot replied "three zero two six roger." At 1628:26, the controller said, "niner seven four zero yankee radar contact lost squawk one two zero zero cleared to advisory frequency good afternoon." The Atlanta ARTCC controller made one last transmission at 1628:35, saying "niner seven four zero yankee Atlanta." There were no further communications with the pilot of N9740Y. FAA ARTCC controller statements indicate that training was being conducted at the time communications were lost with N9740Y.

According to the FAA Daily Record of Facility Operation, at 0040, January 17, 2000, the FAA was notified that N9740Y had not arrived at Hawkins County Airport, where the pilot's parents had been awaiting his arrival. At 0100, the Hawkins County Sheriff's Dispatch received notification that the airplane was missing in their area, and at 0800, a search was initiated. The wreckage was discovered about 1245, January 17, 2000. PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Records obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration showed that the pilot of N9740Y held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating, last issued on August 30, 1989. The pilot did not possess an instrument rating. The pilot was administered an FAA third class medical examination on July 1, 1999. The medical had the limitation, that the holder shall wear correcting lenses while exercising the privileges of this airman certificate.

Records obtained from a family member of the pilot did not indicate the pilot's flight experience, however, information obtained from the American Bonanza Society's, Bonanza/Baron Proficiency Program, showed that the pilot had attended the Bonanza Initial Course from September 17 to 19, 1999. The pilot had listed his flight experience on the application for the Bonanza Initial Course, as 700 hours total flight experience, 400 hours in a Bonanza, and 400 hours of instrument flight experience. According to the flight instructor who flew with the pilot during the course, they completed two VFR flights together, and he gave the pilot an endorsement to satisfy the requirement for completing a Biennial Flight review, and for his participation in the FAA Wings Program. The instructor further stated that this endorsement was due to the pilot having attended the Bonanza Initial Course, and was also based on the pilot's "satisfactory" performance during the two VFR flights. The flight instructor also stated that he could not specifically remember, but the pilot either did not request instrument training, or he had stated that he was not instrument rated, and thus was not given instrument flight training during the Bonanza Initial Course.

Aircraft information

The airplane was a 1963 model Beech P-35 Bonanza, serial number D7134, registered to the pilot. The aircraft was equipped with a 260 horsepower, Continental IO-470-N engine, serial number CS95834-11. The aircraft was equipped with a Flottorp F12A-3 constant speed propeller, serial number 264. The propeller was installed on the aircraft on March 29, 1995, after it had been overhauled.

At the time of the accident the recorded tachometer reading was 137.27 hours, or 68.03 hours after annual inspection. The aircraft logbook was later obtained from a member of the pilot's family, and it showed that the aircraft had an annual inspection on August 14, 1999, and the total time on the aircraft was 4449.29 hours. At the time of the annual inspection, the recorded tachometer reading was 69.24 hours.

Meteorological information

Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident. The Tri-Cities Regional Airport 1553 surface weather observation was: ceiling 1,300 feet overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, wind from 260 degrees at 7 knots, temperature 46 degrees F, dew point 41 degrees F, altimeter setting 30.26 in. hg.

Witnesses at Hawkins County Airport, the pilot's amended destination, stated that on the day of the accident, the ceiling and visibility at Hawkins County Airport had been both low, and the airport had been closed due to the weather.

Wreckage and impact information

N9740Y collided with the terrain at latitude 36 degrees, 30.99 minutes north, longitude 082 degrees, 59.93 minutes west, on the northwest side of Clinch mountain ridge, about 6 nautical miles north of Rogersville, Tennessee, and 6.7 nautical miles from Hawkins County Airport. The aircraft impacted Clinch mountain, which runs southwest to northeast, about 50 feet below the 2,400-foot elevation.

The terrain where the wreckage lay was in a