Beech 23C accident near Dunlap, Tennessee, December 8, 1990
On December 8, 1990 at about 10:23 pm local time, a Beech 23C, registered N5147M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dunlap, Tennessee. It was a personal 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 FAILURE TO USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT PROPERLY, WHICH RESULTED IN THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE, FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AND THE ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN AT THE CRASH SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1990 · about 10:23 pm local time
- Place
- Dunlap, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23C · all 23Cs on the register
- Registration
- N5147M · no longer on the register · serial M-2035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 4000 FEET, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT FAILED. THE AIRPLANE CRSHED IN A ROCK PIT WHERE IT SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE. FUEL WAS IN BOTH TANKS WHEN EXAMINED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRPLANE EXAMINATION ALSO FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEM WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY DURING THE FUNCTIONAL EXAMINATION. HOWEVER, THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVE INDICATED THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBURETOR ICE FORMATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN OPERATIONAL CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,395 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,455 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHA Chattanooga TN at 10:00 pm
- Destination: M54 Lebanon TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 135° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Observation at 9:52 pm from CHA, 37 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.