Beech F90 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, December 3, 2012
On December 3, 2012 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Beech F90, registered N44PA, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Knoxville, Tennessee (Mcghee Tyson Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots’ decision to maneuver the airplane in close proximity to a hangar.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2012 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Mcghee Tyson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F90 · all F90s on the register
- Registration
- N44PA · registry record · serial LA-149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of an evaluation flight, the left seat pilot taxied the airplane to the hangar area under the direction of the right seat pilot. After reaching the hangar area, the left seat pilot initiated a 180-degree turn in order to better position the airplane for postflight ground handling. During the turn, the right side of the horizontal stabilizer struck one of the hangar’s support beams, resulting in substantial damage to the horizontal and vertical stabilizers, as well as the empennage. Following the accident, the operator instituted a new policy, which stated that an external spotter should be used when maneuvering in the vicinity of obstacles.
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
- Airport occurrence during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Copilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,879 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 2,811 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,684 hours in all; 330 in this make and model; 151 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 5,624 as pilot in command; 2,808 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 12, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,714 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 11, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 10,950 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney Canada PT6A-135 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: U/A Canada PT6A SERIES (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grande Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 2A0 Dayton TN at 8:15 pm
- Destination: TYS Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TYS
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.
Other NTSB records under N44PA 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.