Beech A36TC accident near Tupelo, Mississippi, May 16, 2016
On May 16, 2016 at about 1:35 pm local time, a 1980 Beech A36TC, registered N60RW, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff near Tupelo, Mississippi (Tupelo Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A preexisting stress rupture that initiated at a spot weld in the turbocharger v-band exhaust clamp, which resulted in the failure of the clamp and separation of the exhaust tailpipe, an in-flight fire, and subsequent impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2016 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Tupelo, Mississippi · Tupelo Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC UNDESIGNAT, built 1980 · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N60RW · no longer on the register · serial EA-78
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was taking off in the turbocharged reciprocating engine-equipped airplane for a personal flight. One witness reported seeing something fall from the airplane as it departed. Shortly after departure, the pilot notified air traffic control of smoke in the cockpit. The airplane then made a left, westbound turn back toward the airport, about 500ft above the ground and then it turned back toward the approach end of the departure runway while descending. Two witnesses also reported seeing fire and smoke coming from the bottom, left side of the airplane before it impacted terrain. After the accident, airport personnel found the exhaust tailpipe and fractured v-band coupling on the runway. A support clamp, which was intended to support the exhaust tailpipe, was not found. Examination of the v-band coupling revealed stress rupture features at the edge of a spot weld that attached the outer band to the retainer, which led to the v-band fracturing, the exhaust tailpipe separating from the airplane, and an in-flight fire. Review of the maintenance records did not reveal when the v-band coupling was installed or last inspected. There is a longstanding history of accidents and incidents resulting from v-band coupling failures on both fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft. Although before the accident the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had issued six v-band-specific airworthiness directives (AD) and other guidance materials and recommendations related to v-band failures, none of them were specific to the accident airplane make and model. Subsequent to the accident, the FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking to obtain public feedback regarding a proposed AD that would require a repetitive annual inspection of, and would impose a 500-hour life limit on, the exhaust tailpipe v-band coupling on the accident aircraft make and model.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,675 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,651 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 2,037 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TUP Tupelo MS at 12:30 pm
- Destination: CHO Charlottesville VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 7,150 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from TUP, 2 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.
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.