Beech C35 accident near London, Kentucky, November 25, 1998
On November 25, 1998 at about 10:50 am local time, a Beech C35, registered N244L, was involved in an accident near London, Kentucky (London-Corbin Aprt-Magee 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 inadequate start procedure in which he fail to secure the aircraft from movement during an attempt to handprop the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1998 · about 10:50 am local time
- Place
- London, Kentucky · London-Corbin Aprt-Magee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N244L · registry record · serial D-2747
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had started the engine briefly by using the engine's electric starter. The engine stopped, and after several more attempts with the starter, the pilot then attempted to start the airplane's engine by hand-propping. The airplane's brake had been set, but the nose wheel had been chocked from behind only. None of the airplane's wheels were chocked in front. The engine started briefly, and the pilot was struck by the propeller. Following the accident, the nose wheel aft chock was observed resting up against, and behind the nose wheel. The accident occurred during the hours of darkness, on a moist surface, with an outside air temperature of 1 degree Celsius, in a refueling area. The 5,000-hour pilot had been seen hand-propping the airplane on other occasions.
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
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOZ
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 am from LOZ
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.
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.