Beech K35 accident near Lafayette, Tennessee, January 19, 1991
On January 19, 1991 at about 11:37 pm local time, a Beech K35, registered N99RN, was destroyed in an accident near Lafayette, Tennessee (Lafayette Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, DARKNESS, AND RADIO TOWER WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1991 · about 11:37 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Tennessee · Lafayette Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N99RN · registry record
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN IFR FLT AT NIGHT, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS AND WAS CLEARED TO DSCND FROM 7000 FT TO 5000 FT MSL. ABOUT 14 MIN LATER, HE RPRTD THAT AN ENG POWER LOSS HAD OCCURRED AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. WHILE BEING VECTORED TO A NEARBY ARPT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A 112 FT HAM RADIO TOWER, ABOUT 60 FT AGL, THEN CRASHED. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ENG WAS AT IDLE POWER DURING IMPACT. DURING AN INVESTIGATION OF THE ACDNT, NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE, FUEL CONTAMINATION OR VERIFICATION OF STRUCTURAL ICE WAS FOUND. THE HAM RADIO TOWER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN IDENTIFICATION LIGHT, NOR WAS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR IT TO BE LIGHTED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,970 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 22, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Wheeling IL at 9:01 pm
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 pm from BNA, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL91FA041.