Beech BE-55-T42A accident near Johnson City, Tennessee, December 4, 2001
On December 4, 2001 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Beech BE-55-T42A, registered N50KF, was destroyed in an accident near Johnson City, Tennessee (Johnson City Stolport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude clearance above the tree resulting in a collision with the tree, subsequent collision with a building, and the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2001 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Johnson City, Tennessee · Johnson City Stolport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-55-T42A
- Registration
- N50KF · registry record · serial TC-880
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to eyewitnesses, the Beech Baron was seen flying in formation, with a Cessna 210 at a low altitude, flying below treetop height and fast. As the formation neared the airport, the Beech closed in on the Cessna as the number two position in a right echelon. The pilot of the lead aircraft estimated that their airspeed at the time he executed his pitch-up was about 190 knots. The flight of two appeared to be flying into the "break," military style, for landings on runway 22. About the mid-point of the 3,000 foot runway, the lead aircraft executed an abrupt pitch up and left bank, and the Beech continued forward, colliding with a tree at the departure end of the runway. Some eyewitnesses stated the Beech went inverted following tree strike. The Beech continued airborne until impacting the rear portion of the roof of a two story manufacturing plant and came to rest about 202 feet beyond the building into a tree and vine thicket, and was consumed by post crash fire. No discrepancies were found with the airframe or the engine.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,738 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 11, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VJI Abington VA at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 0A4 Johnson City TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.42 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from TRI, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N50KF 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.