Beech A36 accident near Paducah, Kentucky, May 8, 2012
On May 8, 2012 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N1819L, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Paducah, Kentucky (Barkley Regional Airport). 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 properly secure the airplane before turning the propeller by hand.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2012 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Paducah, Kentucky · Barkley Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1819L · registry record · serial E-838
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the airplane's starter had been malfunctioning for about 1 month. On the day of the accident, he unsuccessfully attempted to start the engine from inside the airplane, then exited the airplane, and turned the propeller "slowly." The pilot’s intent in turning the propeller was not to start the engine. However, the engine started unexpectedly, and the airplane traveled across the ramp and impacted a parked airplane, resulting in substantial damage.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,924 hours in all; 1,690 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,819 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 8, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,955 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAH Paducah KY
- Destination: PAH Paducah KY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PAH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA12CA323.