Beech A36TC accident near Hopkinsville, KY
On May 12, 2017, a Beech A36TC (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hopkinsville, KY. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 12, 2017
- Place
- Hopkinsville, KY
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.926°N, 87.609°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170512X42326
Official records · ERA17FA180
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- NTSB Audio Review: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Recording Devices - Specialist's Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 12, 2017, about 1152 central daylight time, a Beech A36TC, N1804E, impacted trees and terrain near Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was owned by Cremair LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed in the accident area, and the flight was receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight following services from air traffic control (ATC). The flight originated about 0942 from Davenport Municipal Airport (DVN), Davenport, Iowa, and was destined for Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ATC audio and radar information, after takeoff, the airplane proceeded in a southeast direction and climbed to about 5,550 ft mean sea level (msl). About 1106, the airplane began to climb to about 7,500 ft msl while continuing in the southeast direction. About 1109, when the airplane was about 3 nautical miles (nm) east-northeast of Johnson City, Illinois, and about 7,500 ft msl, its heading changed to a northeast direction. The airplane remained on the northeast heading for about 3 minutes and then proceeded in an east-southeast direction while maintaining about 7,500 ft msl. The airplane remained on the east-southeast heading until about 1131, and then, when it was near Henderson, Kentucky, the airplane turned to a south heading. The airplane maintained about 7,500 ft msl until 1138 when it beg
Probable cause
The noninstrument-rated pilot's intentional visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's overreliance on his limited instrument training.
More accidents in KY
- Bombardier, Inc. CRJ-100, Aug 27, 2006
- Piper PA-31T2, Feb 17, 1982
- Cessna 401A, Aug 28, 2006
- Piper PA-32R-301T, Apr 3, 1988
- Piper PA-32R-301, Mar 22, 2004
Browse: Kentucky · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
