Beech C23 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 3, 1985
On March 3, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N2013K, was destroyed in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville Downtown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Knoxville Downtown
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N2013K · registry record · serial M-2067
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD NOT FLOWN FOR OVER 90 DAYS & WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS BEFORE FLYING WITH PASSENGERS. WHILE CLIMBING FROM A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE ENG LOST POWER AT ABOUT 250 TO 300 FT AGL. THE PLT SAW ONLY A RIVER AHEAD, SO HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN & LAND ON THE ARPT. HE STATED THAT HE DROPPED THE NOSE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP FROM HITTING TREES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT WITH THE TREES & GROUND. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED HALF WAY BETWEENTHE LEFT & RIGHT POSITIONS. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL STRAINER OR FUEL LINES FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL. WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS MOVED TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT POSITIONS, FUEL FLOWED FREELY, BUT NO FUEL WOULD FLOW IN THE INTER- MEDIATE POSITION. THE INVESTIGATOR NOTED THAT WHEN THE FLAPS WERE SELECTED, THE FUEL SELECTOR COULD EASILY BE BUMPED. ALSO, THE DETENTS ON THE SELECTOR WERE WEAK & THE SELECTOR COULD EASILY BE MOVED. AD 85-05-02, AMENDMENT 39-5912, WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH; HOWEVER, IF SO, IT WOULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROBLEM.
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
- Flight time: 67 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,351 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 11, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DKX at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from TYS, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.