Beech C23 accident near Smyrna, Tennessee, May 30, 2000
On May 30, 2000 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N6645P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Smyrna, Tennessee (Smyrna Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the dual student to maintain airspeed following total loss of engine power resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent uncontrolled descent. Also, inadequate supervision by the CFI for her failure to note the position of the fuel selector valve and her failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors in the accident were the flight crews lack of experience in the accident airplane, improper painting of the arrow on the fuel selector handle by an unknown person, and the improper placement of the fuel selector handle to the off position by an unknown pilot resulting in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2000 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Smyrna, Tennessee · Smyrna Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6645P · no longer on the register · serial M-2384
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two days before the accident, the CFI and pilot-rated left seat occupant were unable to keep the engine running after starting before a flight; the fuel selector valve was found in the "off" position. The airplane was flown between then and the accident date 1.5 hours with no maintenance or discrepancies noted. The pilot-rated occupant was notified of the fuel selector finding before the accident flight and offered to be checked out; he refused. The engine quit after starting on the accident date but was restarted. A witness saw confusion on the left seat occupants face while looking at the engine gauges following the engine quitting. He also saw him moving the fuel selector handle. During climbout following a touch-and-go landing, witnesses heard the engine sputtering and observed the airplane roll to the left and pitch nose down. Browning of grass forward of each wing fuel tank was noted; 4 gallons of fuel drained from the right fuel tank. Examination of the engine and flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Approximately 2 ounces of fuel were found in the carburetor bowl; the flexible hose from the engine driven fuel pump to the carburetor was dry. The fuel selector valve was found not in a detent but near one of the "off" positions. The arrow on the fuel selector handle which points to the tank selected was found to be painted red contrary to the engineering drawing. Fuel selector handles from airplanes flown by the pilot-rated left seat occupant consisted of the longer end pointing to the tank selected. The pilot-rated left seat occupant and CFI had no recorded flight experience in the airplane. Impact signatures on the co-pilot's control column correlate to a right roll and aft elevator input.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,528 hours in all; 192 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 1,418 as pilot in command; 1,035 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,755 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 2000; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQY at 8:14 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,546 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 178°F (81°C), dew point 138°F (59°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:16 pm from MQY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.