Beech 58P accident near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, June 2, 2003
On June 2, 2003 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N60BR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gatlinburg, Tennessee (Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of altitude and distance to the runway during final approach, and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2003 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee · Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N60BR · registry record · serial TJ395
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot's altitude was low during the approach to land and he stated that he did not realize that there was a hill at the approach end of runway 28. The nose gear of the airplane collided with the hill 120 feet short of the runway. The airplane slid down the hill and came to rest on the runway, approximately 30 feet beyond the approach end. Review of the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport runway 28 information states "displaced threshold 339 feet" and "steep rise in ground 50 feet, from threshold east end of pavement". No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the pilot prior to the accident.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,288 hours in all; 730 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,288 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 29, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,648.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 2003; 24.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TJ10-520WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TJ10-520WB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Gatlinburg TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 5,506 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from TYS, 22 miles away
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.