Beech A36 accident near Hot Springs, Virginia, May 6, 1996
On May 6, 1996 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N12JE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hot Springs, Virginia (Ingalls Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to attain adequate aircraft speed during takeoff. Related factors were the density altitude and gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1996 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Virginia · Ingalls Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N12JE · registry record · serial E-2961
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the weight and balance calculations, preflight inspection, engine start, and engine run-up were completed satisfactorily. The aircraft lifted off at about 80 knots, but the stall warning horn sounded. The pilot lowered the nose and retracted the landing gear, but the stall warning horn continued to sound and the airplane felt '...mushy.' He stated that he was running out of runway, so he reduced the power to idle and landed. The airplane settled back onto the runway with the gear in the retracted position, and came to rest in the grassy area 600 feet off the departure end of the runway. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction, and that the reported winds at the time of the accident were out of 260 degrees at 12 to 15 knots, and wind gusts to 25 knots. He also stated that the accident could have been prevented if there was wind shear detecting equipment at the airport to alert pilots of the wind conditions during takeoff and landing operations. The field elevation of the departure airport was 3,792 feet MSL.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 438 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 359 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1995; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,780 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSP at 3:30 pm
- Destination: RDG Reading PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 5,601 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from LWB, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 IAD96LA071.