Raytheon Aircraft Company A36 accident near Pottsville, Arkansas, October 29, 2015
On October 29, 2015 at about 12:54 pm local time, a 2000 Raytheon Aircraft Company A36, registered N3BE, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Pottsville, Arkansas (Russellville Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a sufficient climb rate during departure in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2015 · about 12:54 pm local time
- Place
- Pottsville, Arkansas · Russellville Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon Aircraft Company A36 UNDESIGNAT, built 2000
- Registration
- N3BE · no longer on the register · serial E-3300
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and three passengers departed on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight in instrument meteorological conditions that included a ceiling of 200 ft agl. About 1 mile from the departure end of the runway, the airplane impacted a ridge that was 216 ft above the airport's elevation. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Damage to the airplane and to the trees at the accident site was consistent with controlled flight into terrain with the engine operating at a high power setting. Performance calculations indicated that the airplane had the capability to attain and maintain the minimum required IFR departure climb rate to safely clear terrain on takeoff from the departure runway. Toxicology tests identified terazosin in the pilot's blood, as well as pravastatin, ranitidine, terazosin, and salicylate in urine; however, these medications do not cause drowsiness or affect judgment or executive function and are not considered impairing. Although the pilot had history of arrhythmia and his autopsy found one area of severe coronary artery disease, it is unlikely these medical conditions contributed to the accident sequence.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,716 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 722 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,651 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-550/684769 (piston); 722 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KRUE Russellville AR at 12:54 pm
- Destination: KTYS Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 07, 5,094 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KRUE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N3BE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.