Middlesboro-Bell County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Middlesboro, Kentucky 40965
Monday, August 24, 1998 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was landing on runway 10, a 3,630 foot long, asphalt runway. The airplane touched down on approximately the last 800 feet of the runway. As the airplane traveled down the runway, a witness observed smoke emanating from its tires. The airplane went off the end of the runway, traveled onto a grass area where its landing gear collapsed, and slid to a stop. Tire skid marks were observed about 2,800 feet beyond the runway threshold. The tire marks twisted at the end of the runway before entering the grass area. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA Inspector did not disclose evidence of any pre-impact abnormalities of the airframe or engine. Winds reported at an airport about 33 miles north-northwest of the accident site, were from 230 degrees at 10 knots, with 14 knot gusts.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed, which resulted in runway overrun into a grass area where the gear collapsed. The tailwind was a contributing factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIDDLESBORO
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40965
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIDDLESBORO-BELL COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1A6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1154
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID LOZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1212
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 33
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 19000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1201
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1605
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N525WA
NTSB Number NYC98LA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 348070005
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 5 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 186
Airframe Hours 4826
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES C. SHUMATE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 104 KINGSBURY WOODS RD
Aircraft Owner City MIDDLESBORO
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40965
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OWB
Departure City OWENSBORO
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1A6
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 3630
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --