Event ATL95LA077

Factual narrative

On April 8, 1995, about 1615 central daylight time, a Beech B-19, N9388S, collided with trees during an attempted climbout from runway 18, at the Jackson Municipal Airport, Jackson, Alabama. The personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire. The private pilot, and his pilot-rated passenger, received minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, he and his father, who also holds a pilot's certificate and is a certificated flight instructor, returned to Jackson after flying for about four hours. After refueling the airplane, they flew again, completing two takeoffs and landings, then stopped for a lunch break. After lunch, about 1615, they departed again for a local flight. The pilot stated that the initial climb was uneventful, but as the airplane climbed through 100 feet, it appeared that the climb rate flattened, and the pilot realized that they would not clear power lines off the departure end of the runway; the pilot executed a left turn, and collided with trees. The pilot stated that the climb performance of the airplane had been poor, but "not disconcerting" during the previous flights of the day. On this take off, "one notch" of flaps was used. During the initial climb, the tachometer indicated 2400 rpm, the airspeed was 70 mph, and the carburetor heat was off. Noting that the airplane was not going to climb above the electrical wires, the pilot turned left, to escape what he believed was a downdraft. After the turn, the airplane was at 65 mph and was descending at 100 feet per minute. The top of a pine tree was hit by the left wing, and the airplane descended to impact with the ground, and other trees. After the occupants had exited the airplane, it burst into flames. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FLEW WELL, HOWEVER, IT HAD A POOR RATE OF CLIMB. THE PILOT AND HIS FATHER, A CFI RATED PASSENGER, HAD BEEN PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO'S THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AND REPEATEDLY HAD DIFFICULTY ACHIEVING PATTERN ALTITUDE. AFTER RE-FUELING THE AIRPLANE, AND A SHORT BREAK, ANOTHER FLIGHT WAS PLANNED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION AND THE RUNUP DID NOT REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTIONS. BECAUSE OF THE EARLIER LACK OF CLIMB PERFORMANCE, THE PILOT USED TEN DEGREES OF FLAPS DURING TAKEOFF. THE INITIAL CLIMB WAS UNEVENTFUL, HOWEVER, AS THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED THROUGH 100 FEET, IT APPEARED THAT THE CLIMB RATE FLATTENED, AND THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THEY WOULD NOT CLEAR POWER LINES OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LEFT TURN TO AVOID THE POWER LINES, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12