Beech 58 accident near Nashville, Tennessee, April 6, 1999
On April 6, 1999 at about 9:50 am local time, a Beech 58, registered N80UL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashville, Tennessee (Nashville International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inflight decision to land on a runway with a strong cross wind, rather then on a runway into the wind. A factor was the strong cross wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1999 · about 9:50 am local time
- Place
- Nashville, Tennessee · Nashville International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N80UL · no longer on the register · serial TH-1008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The approach controller issued the pilot an approach clearance to runway 2C. While on final approach, the pilot recalled that there were rain showers and high winds associated with thunderstorm activity in the immediate vicinity of the approach facilities. Upon realizing that his final approach altitude was too high, the pilot requested a landing on runway 2L. The controller cleared the flight to land on the requested runway; however, the airplane collided with the ground as the pilot maneuvered for a landing back to runway 2C, and came to rest about 200 yards left of the approach end of the runway. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane during the flight. The pilot reported experiencing moderate rain and strong winds out of the northwest while maneuvering for the landing. A review of the available runways at the airport revealed that runway 31 was available and was 11,000 feet long. The prevailing winds at the time of the accident were 300 degrees at 19 knots with wind gust to 20 knots. According to the flight manual for the Beech 58, the cross wind component is approximately 19 knots.
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: 1,353 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,927 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 18, 1999; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520CB40 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 9:40 am
- Destination: BNA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 19 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from BNA
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.