Beech A35 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, September 25, 1995
On September 25, 1995 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Beech A35, registered N8500A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Sanders Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 DURING THE APPROACH. THE FACTORS WERE: FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1995 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Sanders Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A35 · all A35s on the register
- Registration
- N8500A · no longer on the register · serial D1922
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ABANDONED THE APPROACH TO A GRASS STRIP WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE LANDING AND ROLL OUT COULD NOT BE EXECUTED ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. DURING THE GO-AROUND ATTEMPT, THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A GRADUAL LOSS OF POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED INTO TREES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE FINALLY CAME TO REST ON TOP OF A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FUNCTIONAL ENGINE EXAMINATION, THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE DID NOT RECEIVE A WEATHER BRIEFING, AND HE WAS NOT AWARE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICING. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS ONLY CHECKED, NOT USED, BY THE PILOT DURING THE APPROACH.
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
- Flight time: 1,041 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 988 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,805 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DKX TN at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 1,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from TYS
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.