Beech 58 accident near Murphy, NC

On May 25, 2011, a Beech 58 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Murphy, NC. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

May 25, 2011

Place

Murphy, NC

Aircraft

Beech 58 · Airplane

Injuries

4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

35.188°N, 84.154°W

NTSB ID

20110525X85612

Official records · ERA11FA312

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• ATC Radar Study: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 25, 2011, about 1613 eastern daylight time, a Hawker Beechcraft Corporation 58, N77AR, collided with mountainous terrain near Murphy, North Carolina. The airline transport pilot and three passengers were fatally injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Aero Resources Corporation, and operated by Friendship Flying Service, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 as an on-demand, non-scheduled, domestic passenger flight to Wendell H Ford Airport (K20), Hazard, Kentucky. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Fulton County Airport (FTY), Atlanta, Georgia, about 1543. The flight plan indicated 3 on board; however, the airplane operator reported that an additional individual asked the pilot before departure to be flown to K20. According to a chronological summary of communications, at 1544, the pilot established contact with the Atlanta Terminal Radar Approach Control (Atlanta TRACON) and advised the controller that the flight had departed FTY and was at 1,700 feet. The flight was radar identified and the pilot was cleared to climb to 9,000 feet, which he acknowledged. Air traffic control communications were transferred to Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center (Atlanta ARTCC) and the pilot remained in contact with that facility from 1552 to 1611; normal communications were reported. At 1611, the pilot was advised to contact Knoxville Approach

Probable cause

An in-flight fire that mostly likely occurred in the right front cockpit area behind the instrument panel and below the glare shield; the origin of the fire could not be determined because of the extensive fire damage.

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Browse: North Carolina · Beech aircraft

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.