Beech A36 accident near Pikeville, Kentucky, October 7, 2005
On October 7, 2005 at about 7:51 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N97CM, was destroyed in an accident near Pikeville, Kentucky (Pikeville County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. A factor was the low ceiling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2005 · about 7:51 pm local time
- Place
- Pikeville, Kentucky · Pikeville County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N97CM · no longer on the register · serial E-1119
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument rated pilot had received a weather briefing, which included a forecast ceiling of 700 feet and visibility of 4 miles. He then filed an instrument flight plan, and proceeded uneventfully to the destination airport area. He remained in communication with air traffic control, and complied with their instructions, while flying a precision approach to runway 27. However, about 1 mile from the runway threshold, the airplane flew left of the localizer course and below decision height. The airplane subsequently impacted mountainous terrain about 1 mile south of the airport. Weather at the time was oscillating above and below minimums for the instrument approach, which required a ceiling of 200 feet and visibility of 3/4-mile. The published missed approach procedure included a climb to 3,000 feet and then a left climbing turn to 4,000 feet msl. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any to ATC.
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: 527 hours in all; 467 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,593 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PAH Paducah KY at 5:45 pm
- Destination: PBX Pikeville KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 5,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from PBX, 1 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.
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.