Middlesboro-Bell County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Middlesboro, Kentucky 40965
Saturday, May 14, 1988 11:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES RPRTED THE ENG DID NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS PROVIDING FULL POWER DRG TAKEOFF & THAT ABT 3/4 OF THE 3600' RWY WAS USED FOR THE TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT CLIMBED AT A SHALLOW ANGLE TO ABT 250 TO 300 FT AGL. IT THEN ENTEREDA SHALLOW LEFT BANK. AFTER TURNING ABT 90 DEG, ITS NOSE PITCHED UP & THE ACFT CLIMBED ABT 100 FT. THE ACFT THEN SNAP- ROLLED TO THE LEFT, ENTERED A DSCNT & CRASHED NEXT TO A STORAGE BLDG IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT WAS LOADED TO NEAR ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. THE ENGINE WAS SATISFACTORILY TEST-RUN AT RATED POWER. THE LNDG GEAR WAS FND IN THE FULLY RETRACTED PSN & THE FLAPS WERE FND FULLY EXTENDED. USING THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE WITH 15 DEG OF FLAPS (TAKEOFF FLAPS) WAS CALCULATED TO BE 977'.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MIDDLESBORO
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40965
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1142
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1130
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 14 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1206
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37083
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9654M
NTSB Number ATL88FA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 67023L
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 16 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3394
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STANLEY W ERWIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7132 HICKORY HILLS DR.
Aircraft Owner City KNOXVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37919
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STANLEY W. ERWIN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7132 HICKORY HILLS DRIVE
Operator City KNOXVILLE
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37919
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1A6
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DKX
Destination City KNOXVILLE
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --