ATL95LA100

Factual narrative

On May 28, 1995, about 1007 central daylight time, a Beech 95-A55, N401W, collided with trees during a missed approach at the Tuskegee Municipal Airport, Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama. The airplane was operated by the pilot/owner under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91,and instrument flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been issued for the personal flight. There were minor injuries to the pilot, the sole occupant, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Titusville, Florida, about 0815, eastern daylight time. According to ground witnesses at the airport, visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to Columbus ATCT personnel, the pilot initially reported, via the airplane's radio, that he had exhausted his fuel. He then stated that he had fuel, but the left engine had quit. An FAA inspector reported that the airplane came to rest in a vertical nose down position, supported by trees, so that the nose of the airplane touched the ground. The landing gear and flaps were reported to be retracted. Clouds at Columbus, Georgia, about 40 miles east, and the closest weather reporting facility, were scattered at 2,900 feet. Visibility was ten miles. According to the inspector, the airplane missed one approach, then crashed during a second missed approach, four miles south of the airport. The inspector also reported that upon opening the four fuel caps no fuel could be found. According to him the left fuel tank was slightly ruptured with no signs or smell of fuel on the ground. The insurance adjuster who had the wreckage recovered stated that there was no fuel in the airplane. The pilot stated that he departed Titusville with 74 gallons of fuel in the main tanks, only. The pilot did not complete the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, as requested (See attached certified mail receipt signed by pilot). THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES. AT THE DESTINATION, TWO VOR APPROACHES WERE EXECUTED, WITH EACH FOLLOWED BY A MISSED APPROACH. ON THE SECOND MISSED APPROACH, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE, THEN ELECTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. WITNESSES AT THE FIELD STATED THAT VISUAL CONDITIONS EXISTED BELOW THE CLOUDS. A SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER AT 2900 FEET MSL WAS REPORTED BY THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY, ABOUT 40 MILES EAST OF THE DESTINATION. THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THE DESTINATION APPROACH WAS 1020 FEET MSL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED WITH ABOUT 74 GALLONS OF FUEL, IN THE MAIN TANKS, ONLY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE, AND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE ON THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST VERTICALLY NOSE DOWN, WITH TREES SUSPENDING THE AIRPLANE SO THAT THE NOSE BARELY TOUCHED THE GROUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12