Beech 95-A55 accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, September 1, 1997
On September 1, 1997 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Beech 95-A55, registered N437CG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Murfreesboro Muni 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 excessive airspeed, and improper touch down point during landing, that resulted in the runway end overun. Factors were the wet runway surface, and the embankment at the end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1997 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Murfreesboro, Tennessee · Murfreesboro Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-A55 · all 95-A55s on the register
- Registration
- N437CG · no longer on the register · serial TC468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated to the inspector that upon landing at 110 knots airspeed he was unable to stop when full brakes were applied before departing the end of the wet runway. A witness stated that he saw the airplane land about halfway down the runway very fast. The witness, at the accident site, stated that he saw the airplane 'well high on the final approach glidepath', and that the airplane landed 'very fast' and touched down ' about mid field'. The FAA inspector stated, that after the airplane departed the end of the wet runway, it rolled down an embankment collapsing the nose gear and damaging the inboard structure of the left wing ribs, and the nose gear bulkhead on the right side. The flight manual for the Beech 95-A55 states the normal approach speed for this airplane is 87knots.
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
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 168 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1997; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Travel Methods,Llc
The flight
- Departed from: DTS Destin FL at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from MBT
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.