Johnson City Stolport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Johnson City, Tennessee 37601
Tuesady, December 4, 2001 10:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to eyewitnesses, the Beech Baron was seen flying in formation, with a Cessna 210 at a low altitude, flying below treetop height and fast. As the formation neared the airport, the Beech closed in on the Cessna as the number two position in a right echelon. The pilot of the lead aircraft estimated that their airspeed at the time he executed his pitch-up was about 190 knots. The flight of two appeared to be flying into the "break," military style, for landings on runway 22. About the mid-point of the 3,000 foot runway, the lead aircraft executed an abrupt pitch up and left bank, and the Beech continued forward, colliding with a tree at the departure end of the runway. Some eyewitnesses stated the Beech went inverted following tree strike. The Beech continued airborne until impacting the rear portion of the roof of a two story manufacturing plant and came to rest about 202 feet beyond the building into a tree and vine thicket, and was consumed by post crash fire. No discrepancies were found with the airframe or the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude clearance above the tree resulting in a collision with the tree, subsequent collision with a building, and the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Johnson City
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37601
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 362135N
Event Location Longitude 0821846W
Event Location Airport Johnson City Stolport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OA4
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 210
Airport Elevation 1550
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID TRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1519
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.42
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14078
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr-SE
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1216
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50KF
NTSB Number MIA02FA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model BE-55-T42A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number TC-880
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 11 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 9738
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name First Coast Flight Service, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 559 Cody Dr.
Aircraft Owner City Orange Park
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32073
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 VJI
Departure City Abington
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 0A4
Destination City Johnson City
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2003 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --