Beech A36 accident near Morristown, Tennessee, February 18, 2003
On February 18, 2003, a Beech A36, registered N100DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morristown, Tennessee (Moore-Murrell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/decision to initiate flight into known adverse weather conditions, resulting in the in-flight encounter with weather and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. A factor was airplane performance deteriorated due to structural ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2003
- Place
- Morristown, Tennessee · Moore-Murrell · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N100DA · registry record · serial E-1670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as the flight descended from 8100 feet the airplane began to pick up structural ice. The flight was cleared to descend to 5100 feet, and the airplane continued to collect structural ice. As the airplane continued to descended the pilot added power to maintain altitude. While on final approach to runway 05 the airplane was unable to maintain altitude and collided with terrain. No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilot prior to the accident. According to the Saint Petersburg Flight Service Station, the pilot was given a full weather briefing that reported icing conditions at the destination airport.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 746 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 687 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,268 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2002; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,540 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MOR Morristown TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 05, 5,701 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PIE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.