3 Lost in Crash of Beech V35 Bonanza in Williamson County, TN - May 15, 2024

john_pifer

john_pifer

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Location
Dickson, TN.
The WCSO Chief Deputy was quoted as announcing that it appears that the aircraft broke up in mid-flight.

This is in a neighboring county to us, near Franklin, TN.

Beautiful area near the federal recreational highway, the Natchez Trace Pkwy. I have frequently cycled along that highway.

RIP.

www.tennessean.com

Middle Tennessee authorities say 3 killed in small plane crash near Natchez Trace Parkway

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office asked that motorists avoid the area of Bending Chestnut and Davis Hollow Roads after a small plane crash.
www.tennessean.com
 
Sad incident with 3 dead.

Not up on the NTSB site yet, was looking for a tail number to look at the flight data to see if maybe there was a clue on the cause for the in-flight breakup.

Of course the V-tail Bonanza has a reputation as the "forked tail doctor killer" but when the NTSB and FAA previously researched the data, the V-tails were not found to have a statistically significant accident varation to GA as a whole. Many accidents were found to be the result of pilot error due to things like VFR into IFR flight conditions and exceeding the structural limitations of the aircraft. The Bonanza is the most built GA aircraft of all time so there is a lot of them out there.
 
Brons2 said:
Sad incident with 3 dead.

Not up on the NTSB site yet, was looking for a tail number to look at the flight data to see if maybe there was a clue on the cause for the in-flight breakup.

Of course the V-tail Bonanza has a reputation as the "forked tail doctor killer" but when the NTSB and FAA previously researched the data, the V-tails were not found to have a statistically significant accident varation to GA as a whole. Many accidents were found to be the result of pilot error due to things like VFR into IFR flight conditions and exceeding the structural limitations of the aircraft. The Bonanza is the most built GA aircraft of all time so there is a lot of them out there.
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N47WT

“…..ADS-B data shows that the airplane was cruising at an altitude of about 7000 feet before it slightly changed course and climbed to 9600 feet. A few seconds later, the airplane entered a rapid descent with an average rate of about -4000 fpm.”

Source: Aviation Safety Network
 
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Brons2 said:
The Bonanza is the most built GA aircraft of all time so there is a lot of them out there.
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Bonanza not even close to being the most produced.

List of most-produced aircraft - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org


Brons2 said:
Of course the V-tail Bonanza has a reputation as the "forked tail doctor killer" but when the NTSB and FAA previously researched the data, the V-tails were not found to have a statistically significant accident varation to GA as a whole. Many accidents were found to be the result of pilot error due to things like VFR into IFR flight conditions and exceeding the structural limitations of the aircraft.
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That still makes the doctor killer nickname valid.
 
BrianL said:
Bonanza not even close to being the most produced.

List of most-produced aircraft - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org



That still makes the doctor killer nickname valid.
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Ok, I stand corrected on the first part. Most produced Beechcraft, then.

I strenuously disagree on the 2nd part. If you operate an airframe beyond it's published limitations far enough, it's going to come apart, no matter if a homeless person, doctor, or a mechanical engineer is flying it.
 
Brons2 said:
Ok, I stand corrected on the first part. Most produced Beechcraft, then.

I strenuously disagree on the 2nd part. If you operate an airframe beyond it's published limitations far enough, it's going to come apart, no matter if a homeless person, doctor, or a mechanical engineer is flying it.
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But that's why it's the doctor killer. Inexperienced doctor owner pilots operate it beyond it's limitations. How else would the name apply?
I think the SR20/22 also has a reputation of being a high performance plane with a lot of inexperienced owners, and quite a few have crashed.
 
dkryan said:
N47WT

“…..ADS-B data shows that the airplane was cruising at an altitude of about 7000 feet before it slightly changed course and climbed to 9600 feet. A few seconds later, the airplane entered a rapid descent with an average rate of about -4000 fpm.”

Source: Aviation Safety Network
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That sounds a great deal like Flight into IFR conditions, spatial disorientation, loss of control, exceeded the VNE and overstressed the airframe.

It’s funny how many VFR pilots think they can handle IFR. They cannot. And sadly, this looks like another case proving that point.
 
Check FlightAware. . . the filed flight plan looks like an IFR planned route at a proper IFR altitude--I'm thinking the pilot was IFR rated. It doesn't mean he was proficient, but it seems like he had the training.
 
BrianL said:
But that's why it's the doctor killer. Inexperienced doctor owner pilots operate it beyond it's limitations. How else would the name apply?
I think the SR20/22 also has a reputation of being a high performance plane with a lot of inexperienced owners, and quite a few have crashed.
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There’s more aircraft models than just the “v-tail” that’s killed a lot of doctors, as well as the complacent, non-current, or “VFR in to IFR” pilots.

The Cirrus issue, at least in my mind, is pilots moved from an aircraft with “steam gauges,” (the “six pack”) into a more complex (technology wise) aircraft that demanded a re-learn with the flat panel instrumentation and just maybe a thought that “well, if I screw it up there’s always the parachute….!”

To Astro14’s point, I’m thinking a partial instrument failure leading to special disorientation.

Icing was another thought but I did not check the weather along their route.

Anyway, our speculation aside, we’ll see the NTSB report in 12-18 months.
 
Robster said:
Check FlightAware. . . the filed flight plan looks like an IFR planned route at a proper IFR altitude--I'm thinking the pilot was IFR rated. It doesn't mean he was proficient, but it seems like he had the training.
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Flying is not like riding a bike, even more so if flying in clouds or at night if hazy ( IFR ).

Your scan deteriorates and you are more susceptible to disorientation if you’re not doing it often enough.

As for the Doctor part. You can buy a plane if you have enough money ( sorry, homeless people can’t, not yet ), but you cannot buy flying experince.
 
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I just checked the FAA pilot database--the pilot is licensed as follows:

PRIVATE PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

I also located this picture of the panel of the subject aircraft (undated). It's very well equipped (above average for a vintage aircraft). I have a lot of time with the Garmin GTN750 GPS nav / com--it's excellent, very capable IFR equipment (larger screen device in the center radio stack). It also has a very good primary (Aspen) flight display. This aircraft also has an older but apparently functional autopilot (not placarded out of service). As equipped, I'd feel pretty good about launching into IMC with this aircraft if everything else was above board. FYI. --Rob

N47WT panel.jpg
 
Robster said:
. . .and finally, some background on the pilot:

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The background that matters would be his training and proficiency. His recent experience.

The stereotype of doctors buying more airplane than they can safely handle exists for a reason. It’s because they do buy more airplane than they can safely handle. There are a lot of doctors who have been blessed by the arrogance fairy. Anointed, as it were. They think that because they got through medical school, they can do all sorts of other things well, too.

But what they often fail to realize is that the number of hours and the amount of dedication that got them through medical school needs to be applied to those other disciplines in order to achieve equal success.

We don’t yet know if that’s the case in this mishap, but I just have a strong feeling that, once again, a doctor got the ratings, then did not devote the time to developing proficiency, and did not have the experience to handle the conditions in which he found him himself.

The JFK Junior crash comes to mind. A very confident, young man, who allowed himself to fly in conditions in which he had no business flying.
 
Am I oversimplifying it or is all you really need to worry about in IMC is altitude, keeping the wings level, heading and airspeed, right?

It would seem that you should simply disregard any external inputs (or your perception of inputs) and follow those instruments closely?
 
The Bonanza is a nice flying plane. The NTSB/FAA tends to blame the pilots for the in flight breakups. However, let's step back from the blame, and ask the simple question:

How many in flight breakups of Bonanza's have there been? Answer, in rough numbers, about 1% of the current fleet.

There were 148 reports of in-flight structural failure in Beech models 33, 35 and 36 airplanes. of those, 136 were in Model 35 ("V-tail") aircraft and 12 were in Model 36 Bonanzas.

Of the nearly 50,000 strut braced Cessna's out there, exceptionally few have broken up in flight. This one made it back. One other had a bolt come out of the strut.

As y'all know, I own a Cardinal RG. There have been no inflight breakups of the 4500 cardinals made.

Cessna 172.jpg
 
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@TheEric. . . . that is an oversimplification of what is involved. The basics are correct, but you also have to have an in-depth knowledge of your aircraft, it's systems & limitations, the weather, and IFR (instrument) procedures in all phases of flight. You also should have a self-understanding / awareness of your own personal limitations as well and be able to recognize your own weaknesses and susceptibilities. IFR flight (compared to VFR) is extremely structured and more demanding, especially when flying single pilot. In bad weather, the ante is upped. . . if at night, risk also increases.

@Astro14. . . . I expect that as well-known as the pilot seems to be, and considering his age (62 yrs.) it should be easy to build a personality profile for him based on interviews with family, friends, other pilots etc. If he was a risk-taker in life or in aviation, it should become apparent (driving violations, FAA violations, other run-ins with police, etc.) from thorough interviews and background checks. I don't have any time in that Beechcraft model, but I do have several hours in it's cousin, the Debonair, which shares the fuselage / wings, but has a standard tail arrangement. The Debonair was a super airplane to fly and was very capable, but it could overspeed pretty quickly if you got nose-down in a turn. I don't recall what VNE in the Debonair was, but I'd expect it to be similar to the V35.
 
Hard landings stress and fatigue-cycle the wing spar on most low wing, small, general aviation aircraft. This is one reason why some Piper aircraft have recently experienced spar cracking. Especially flight school planes.

People have this idea that flying into exceptionally turbulent air is what causes the failures. While that can be so, we now understand that the cracks tend to exist for a great many hours and cycles before ultimate failure. In the case of the 210 spar, the crack was there for 3300 hours! The final failure can happen in straight and level flight, or in the traffic pattern, etc.

Piper-Wing-Spar-Update-SAIB-Oct-2022-Figure-07.jpg
 
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