No fatalities

9 Oct 2019: Beech 19 B19 — Somerville, TN

Somerville, TN, United States

On 9 Oct 2019, a Beech 19 B19 was involved in an aviation accident near Somerville, TN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to move the fuel selector position to the "on" position before takeoff, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and necessitated a forced landing to a field shortly after takeoff, and his subsequent improper decision to take off… This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot initiating a soft-field takeoff after a forced landing collided with an embankment, causing the nose gear to separate and fuel tanks to rupture, leading to a fire that consumed the airplane.

Accident Overview

According to FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors, the pilot reported conducting a soft-field takeoff. The intention was to depart the field after having made a forced landing. During the takeoff roll, the airplane collided with an embankment.

Sequence of Events

After striking the embankment, the airplane momentarily ascended before landing hard. The impact caused the nose landing gear to separate from the airplane. The pilot stated that this separation resulted in a rupture of the fuel tanks.

Post-Impact Fire

The airplane came to rest in an upright position. Subsequently, a fire erupted under the right wing, as reported by the pilot. The fire consumed the entire airplane.

Damage Assessment

The airplane sustained substantial damage and was completely destroyed by the fire.

Contributing factors

PilotEffect on operation