- Date
- August 3, 1993, 16:32 local (20:32 UTC)
- Place
- Norfolk, VA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N30JMBeech A55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 38623
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper compesnation for wind conditions and failure to maintain firectional control. A factor was adverse wind conditions.
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during the landing the winds provided to him by the control tower were 'down the runway at seventeen knots.' He used full flaps during the approach to runway 23. He said that the ATIS reported winds from 270 degrees, gusting to 22 knots. During the touchdown, the airplane started to drift left and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane departed the runway and collided with the soft terrain.
Factual narrative
On Tuesday, August 3, 1993, at 1632 eastern daylight time, a Beech A55, N30JM, registered to Baron, Ltd., and piloted by Clarence H. Byler, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Norfolk International Airport, Norfolk, Virginia. The pilot, the safety pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot was conducting a landing on runway 23. He stated that the wind was reported from the tower as "down the runway at seventeen knots." During the approach he elected to use full flaps. He stated that there was a spacing problem with a commercial airplane landing behind him, and he was asked to expedite his approach. After touchdown, the airplane began to swerve to the left and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with the soft terrain.
The pilot stated that the Airport Terminal Information Service (ATIS) reported the winds from 270 degrees with gusts to 22 knots. The local weather sequence, recorded 13 minutes after the accident, reported the winds from 210 degrees at 15 knots, with gusts to 23 knots.
Mr. E. E. Roberts, Operations Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, conducted an on-site examination of the wreckage and an interview with the pilot. In his report, Mr. Roberts stated:
The pilot reported that he experienced windshear as he was touching down which caused a sideload on the nose gear. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft veered off the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30JM
- Reported as
- Beech A55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TC-277
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-L, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Clarence H. Byler
- Registered owner
- Baron, Ltd.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 1992
- Departed
- MCN · Macon, GA
- Destination
- ORF
- Airport
- ORF · Norfolk International, runway 23, 9,000 × 150 ft, macadam
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
- 72
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORF