Beech A100 accident near Gray, Tennessee, June 15, 2011
On June 15, 2011 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Beech A100, registered N15L, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Gray, Tennessee. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with convectively-induced turbulence and icing, which resulted in an in-flight upset and a loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2011 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Gray, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A100 · all A100s on the register
- Registration
- N15L · no longer on the register · serial B-212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was flying in instrument meteorological conditions at flight level 200 (about 20,000 feet), and a large area of thunderstorm activity was located to the northwest. About 20 miles from the thunderstorm activity, the airplane began to encounter moderate turbulence and severe icing conditions. The pilot deviated to the south; however, the turbulence increased, and the airplane entered an uncommanded left roll and dive. The autopilot disengaged, and the pilot's attitude indicator dropped. The pilot leveled the airplane at an altitude of 8,000 feet and landed without further incident. Subsequent examination revealed that one-third of the outboard left elevator separated in flight and that the empennage was substantially damaged. Meteorological and radar data revealed the airplane entered an area of rapidly intensifying convective activity, which developed along the airplane's flight path, and likely encountered convectively-induced turbulence with a high probability of significant icing. The effect of icing conditions on the initiation of the upset could not be determined; however, airframe structural icing adversely affects an airplane's performance and can result in a loss of control.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during enroute (cruise)
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Structural icing during enroute (cruise)
- Inflight upset during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not specified
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to structural icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,837 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,491 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 8, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 10, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,170 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 9, 2011; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,008 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dynamic Avlease INC
The flight
- Departed from: VBW Bridgewater VA at 4:50 pm
- Destination: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from TRI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.