MIA00FA177

Two days before the accident, the CFI and pilot-rated left seat occupant were unable to keep the engine running after starting before a flight; the fuel selector valve was found in the "off" position. The airplane was flown between then and the accident date 1.5 hours with no maintenance or discrepancies noted. The pilot-rated occupant was notified of the fuel selector finding before the accident flight and offered to be checked out; he refused. The engine quit after starting on the accident date but was restarted. A witness saw confusion on the left seat occupants face while looking at the engine gauges following the engine quitting. He also saw him moving the fuel selector handle. During climbout following a touch-and-go landing, witnesses heard the engine sputtering and observed the airplane roll to the left and pitch nose down. Browning of grass forward of each wing fuel tank was noted; 4 gallons of fuel drained from the right fuel tank. Examination of the engine and flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Approximately 2 ounces of fuel were found in the carburetor bowl; the flexible hose from the engine driven fuel pump to the carburetor was dry. The fuel selector valve was found not in a detent but near one of the "off" positions. The arrow on the fuel selector handle which points to the tank selected was found to be painted red contrary to the engineering drawing. Fuel selector handles from airplanes flown by the pilot-rated left seat occupant consisted of the longer end pointing to the tank selected. The pilot-rated left seat occupant and CFI had no recorded flight experience in the airplane. Impact signatures on the co-pilot's control column correlate to a right roll and aft elevator input.

History of flight

On May 30, 2000, about 1515 central daylight time, a Beech C23, N6645P, registered to Tomco of Deleware, Inc., experienced an in-flight loss of control and crashed during the takeoff following a touch-and-go landing at the Smyrna Airport, Smyrna, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 familiarization flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certified flight instructor (CFI) and private-rated pilot were fatally injured. The flight originated about 1437 from the Nashville International Airport, Nashville, Tennessee.

The flight was cleared for takeoff at 1437:05, and frequency change to the Smyrna Air Traffic Control Tower (MQY ATCT) occurred at 1440:16. According to a transcription of communications with the MQY ATCT, the flight was cleared for four touch-and-go landings, a stop-and-go landing, and at 1511:29, the MQY ATCT controller advised the flight that they were No. 2 to land behind a Beech King Air that was on final approach. A flightcrew member responded that the traffic was in sight. The controller advised the flight that an airplane would be departing prior to their arrival and to widen the base leg. A flightcrew member advised that they would extend the downwind leg to which the controller responded at 1512:48, "sundowner four five papa you start your base leg now runway one niner cleared for a touch and go." A flightcrew member advised turning base and repeated the clearance for the touch-and-go landing. There was no further recorded communication from a flightcrew member of the airplane.

The airplane was observed by tower controllers following a touch-and-go landing on runway 19, to be in a left bank and nose-down attitude. Both controllers stated the airplane disappeared behind trees. Copies of the controller statements are an attachment to this report.

A witness near the accident site reported hearing the engine sputtering; another witness reported that there was no engine sound during the descent. The airplane was observed by several witnesses to be in a nose-low attitude at the time of impact. Copies of the witness statements are an attachment to this report.

Personnel information

The right seat occupant was the holder of a commercial pilot certificate with ratings airplane single engine land and sea, multiengine land, instrument airplane. She held ratings airplane single engine, and instrument airplane on her CFI certificate; the date of issue was January 10, 2000. She was issued a second-class medical certificate on May 8, 2000, with the limitation to wear corrective lenses. Excluding the flight earlier that day in a single engine airplane and the accident flight, she logged a total of approximately 1,528 hours total time. Her total single engine time was 1,439 hours, and her total pilot-in-command time was 1,418 hours. She had not logged flight time in any model Beechcraft 19, 23, or 24 series airplanes. Excerpts from her pilot logbook is an attachment to this report.

The left seat occupant was the holder of a private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating that was issued on November 9, 1999. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on August 18, 1999, with the limitation to possess corrective glasses for near vision. He had logged a total time of approximately 118 hours, of which 107 hours were in single engine airplanes. He had not logged any time in the accident make and model airplane before the accident flight. He had flown a Cessna 172 for 1.5 hours with the accident CFI earlier that day. A copy of his pilot logbook is an attachment to this report.

Aircraft information

The airplane was inspected last in accordance with Beech inspection checklist form 130234E from the service manual, and was signed off as being inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on February 11, 2000. The entry for the inspection was in the front of the aircraft logbook when first examined by FAA inspectors. FAA personnel placed the entry on a page in the logbook postaccident. There was no entry in the maintenance records indicating repair or replacement of the fuel selector valve or handle. The carpeting was replaced on September 14, 1999, this required in part removal of the fuel selector handle; no work was reportedly done to the fuel selector handle during this time. The airplane and engine had accumulated a total time of approximately 1,755 hours. Excerpts from the maintenance records are an attachment to this report.

Meteorological information

A special weather observation taken at 1516 hours local at the accident airport indicated the wind was from 210 degrees at 6 knots. The visibility was recorded to be 10 statute miles, few clouds existed at 4,500 feet, broken clouds existed at 20,000 feet, the temperature and dew point were 81 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The altimeter setting was 30.04 inHg.

Communications

The airplane was in contact with the Smyrna Air Traffic Control Tower. A transcription of communications is an attachment to this report.

Airport information

The Smyrna Airport has in part runway 01/19, which is 5,546 feet long and 100 feet wide. A right traffic pattern is specified for runway 19.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane crashed onto property owned by the Smyrna Municipal Golf Course; the crash site was located at 35 degrees 59.882 minutes North latitude and 086 degrees 31.126 minutes West longitude. That location when plotted was approximately 1,086 feet and 151 degrees from the departure end of runway 19. Examination of the accident site revealed an indentation associated from the nose landing gear oriented on a magnetic heading of 056 degrees. A ground scar from both wings was oriented on a magnetic heading of 340 degrees. The airplane came to rest approximately 43 feet from a ground scar associated with the left wingtip.

The airplane was upright on a magnetic heading of approximately 273 degrees. All components necessary to sustain flight were in the immediate vicinity of the crash site. Crushing of the left side of the fuselage was greater than the right side of the fuselage between fuselage stations 181 and 210. The lower left portion of the firewall was crushed aft approximately 11 inches. The flaps were retracted. The front and rear spars of the left wing were fractured near the main landing gear location; the wing was rotated aft 180 degrees. The left aileron cable was fractured near the wing spar fracture location; no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction was noted. The aileron balance cable remained secured to the left and right aileron bellcranks. The left wing fuel tank was ruptured; browning of grass was noted forward of the left wing (See photograph 1). No fuel leakage was noted aft of the left fuel filler cap which was in place or aft of the left fuel tank sump drain valve. The left wing tip was displaced up and aft. The forward attach of the right wing was fractured; fuel leakage and associated browning of grass was noted forward of the leading edge of the right wing from a broken line at the wing root (See photograph 3). Approximately 4 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing fuel tank. No fuel leakage was noted aft of the right fuel filler cap which was in place or aft of the right fuel tank sump drain valve. The right wing tip was displaced aft. Stabilator and rudder flight control cable continuity was confirmed. Both fuel tank vents were clear. Examination of the fuel selector valve revealed it was rotated aft nearly 90 degrees; the end of the longer end of the handle was just visible through the fuel selector guard opening (See photograph 4). The valve was not in but near a detent; the shorter end of the handle was pointed aft. No obstructions were noted in the fuel lines. The fuel strainer which was upright, was