Beechcraft A-36 N25805

Summary

On 12 August 1989 at about 01:18 local time, a Beechcraft A-36 registered N25805 was involved in an accident near Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1989 at 01:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft A-36

Registration

N25805

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kinston → Smithfield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL89FA196

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR AN AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION, AND PILOT FATIGUE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT 2028, AFTER A MISSED APCH AT DESTINATION, THE PLT REPORTED HE COULDN'T GET THE AUTOPILOT OFF & WAS FIGHTING HARD TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE. ATC OFFERED SUGGESTIONS TO DISENGAGE AUTOPILOT, INCLUDING TURNING OFF MASTER SWITCH; PLT REPORTED NO CHANGE. DURING THE NEXT 45 MINUTES THE PILOT WAS PROVIDED VECTORS AND ASSISTANCE; PLT FREQUENTLY DID NOT RESPOND TO INSTRUCTIONS. FINAL VECTORS WERE TO CHAPEL HILL AIRPORT; RADAR DATA LOST. WRECKAGE ORIENTED OVER AN AREA OF A NORMAL BASE TO RWY 8. ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND IN A FULL TAB-UP (NOSE-DOWN) POSITION. APRX 45 LBS OF STICK FORCE WOULD BE NECESSARY TO HOLD THE AIRPLANE LEVEL. THE APPROVED FLIGHT MANUAL SUPPLEMENT FOR THE KING KFC 200 AUTOPILOT SYSTEM CONTAINED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR AUTOPILOT/ELECTRIC TRIM MALFUNCTIONS. THESE PROCEDURES REQUIRE THAT THE AIRCRAFT BE RETRIMMED MANUALLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.