BFO96LA018

Factual narrative

On November 5, 1995, at 1410 eastern standard time, a Beech 35, N5376E, operated as a sales demonstration flight, impacted terrain during an attempted go around at Phillipsburg Airport, in Phillipsburg, Ohio. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) and the commercial pilot/prospective aircraft buyer reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Phillipsburg, Ohio, at approximately 1340. The pilots reported that the commercial pilot, who was seated in the left seat, was handling the flight controls during the prepurchase familiarization flight. The accident airplane was configured with a throw over yoke, and the single set of flight controls was positioned on the left side of the cockpit. The CFI, who was seated in the right seat, had no immediate access to flight controls. The pilots reported that they returned to the Phillipsburg Airport after a brief local flight. They stated that traffic pattern operations and the approach to landing were normal, until the airplane was on short final approach for the runway, and the commercial pilot initiated a go around. Both pilots reported that when the commercial pilot reached for the throttle to apply power, he inadvertently placed the aircraft in a steep nose down attitude. The CFI stated that he reached across to the yoke on the left side of the cockpit, and tried to pull the nose up, but there was not enought altitude to recover. The pilots estimated that the airplane impacted the runway in an approximate 30 degree nose down attitude. Postaccident investigation revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomaly. The CFI stated that when the commercial pilot rated prospective buyer asked to fly the airplane, the CFI indicated that he had to be on board the airplane to comply with the insurance company's requirements. The CFI reported that he did not check the commercial pilot's credentials prior to the flight. The commercial pilot stated: "I told...that I had considerable flying time...but that I had very little time in small piston engine powered aircraft and I was not qualified in the Bonanza...most of my experience being in USAF fighter aircraft." He also stated that he was following the CFI's instruction throughout the flight. THE FLIGHTCREW REPORTED THAT THE COMMERCIAL PILOT/PROSPECTIVE AIRPLANE BUYER, WHO OCCUPIED THE LEFT SEAT, WAS HANDLING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT WAS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI). WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH FOR THE RUNWAY, THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ANNOUNCED THAT HE INTENDED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE COMMERCIAL PILOT INITIATED THE GO-AROUND, HE INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CFI STATED THAT HE REACHED FOR THE FLIGHT CONTROL YOKE, AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE NOSE UP, BUT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE PILOTS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT ABOUT A 30 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONFIGURED WITH A SINGLE, THROW OVER YOKE, WHICH WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS AN EX-MILITARY PILOT WITH VERY LITTLE TIME IN LIGHT PISTON ENGINE AIRPLANES. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12