Centerville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Centerville, Tennessee 37033
Sunday, August 11, 2002 16:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The single-engine airplane impacted an 80-foot tree after the pilot lost control shortly after takeoff. The airplane impacted trees with little to no forward speed in a nose low pitch attitude. A number of tree limbs were freshly cut by the propeller. The private pilot flew the airplane for approximately 40 minutes prior to departing on the accident flight. The accident flight included approximately 300 pounds of fuel on board, 100 pounds of ballast weight in the baggage area, a 359-pound passenger in the rear seat, a 170-pound front seat passenger, and the 170-pound pilot. This brought the gross weight of the airplane to approximately 200 pounds in excess of its maximum gross weight limitations. The calculated center of gravity (CG) was less than one inch from its most aft CG limit. No pre-accident anomalies with the engine or airframe were noted that would have contributed to the accident. The 145-hour pilot obtained a check out in the accident airplane three days prior to the accident. This was the first flight in the accident airplane since the checkout. The checkout lasted approximately one hour and included a questionnaire and a weight and balance calculation and discussion.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall shortly after takeoff. A contributing factor was the pilot's decision to takeoff in an over gross weight condition and his lack of familiarity with the aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Centerville
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37033
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355101N
Event Location Longitude 0872546W
Event Location Airport Centerville Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GHM
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 30
Airport Elevation 768
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 65
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 41
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17027
NTSB Notification Source FAA SE Reg Com Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1842
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2004 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24041
NTSB Number MIA02FA148
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model C23
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M-1930
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 6 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68.48
Airframe Hours 5628.04
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Tullahoma Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 966
Aircraft Owner City Tullahoma
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37388
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code GHM
Departure City Centerville
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1640
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 20 2004 10:06AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --