Beech 58P accident near Memphis, Tennessee, July 2, 2003
On July 2, 2003 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N36TL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memphis, Tennessee (Memphis International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with wake turbulence on approach, which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain control and subsequent in-flight collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2003 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Memphis, Tennessee · Memphis International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N36TL · registry record · serial TJ396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on approach to runway 36R and had descended to approximately 10 to 15 feet above the runway. A witness reported the airplane then yawed left, rolled left, and collided with the ground inverted. Examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. Both propellers exhibited twisting of the blades and chord wise gouges, and each propeller low pitch stop displayed an impression mark. Target separation analysis of the radar data for the accident airplane's approach to runway 36R showed that an Embraer ERJ 145 landed on runway 36C approximately 120 seconds before the accident airplane attempted to land on runway 36R. The last recorded horizontal separation between the two airplanes was 3.53 nautical miles. Radar data, wind data, and wake vortex characteristics were utilized to develop a ground track and wake vortex profile for the two airplanes. According to the study, "the wake vortex of the ... [Embraer ERJ 145] ... could have migrated toward the ... [Beech 58P's] flight path." The study also states, "[Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)] ... guidance suggests that a separation of 120 sec[onds] is sufficient for the wake to dissipate or move away from the runway. Furthermore, wake dissipation is enhanced in ground effect." According to FAA guidelines, for purposes of wake turbulence separation, runways 36R and 36C are considered as a single runway because of their proximity to each other, and the separation minima for a "small" aircraft (Beech 58P) following a "large" aircraft (Embraer ERJ 145) is four miles.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,212 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,005 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,948.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 2002; 172.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: David W. Cahill (President Wind Dancer Dsc, Inc.)
The flight
- Departed from: KTPF Tampa FL at 11:58 am
- Destination: KMEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36R, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:13 pm from KMEM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.