Page 6 - Dec21T

Getting Out:
IFR Departures from Nontowered Airports
by Thomas P. Turner
Figure 1
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently posted its preliminary report on the double-fatality crash of a Beechcraft Bonanza in mountainous western North Carolina. Although the airplane involved was neither a twin nor a turbine, the information so far highlights a need that also affects multi-engine, turboprop and jet pilots when departing under IFR from a nontowered airport...and strategies for preventing similar tragedies. The NTSB preliminary report reads:
On October 3, 2021, about 1948 eastern daylight time, a Beech S35, N876T, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Andrews, North Carolina. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured.
The pilot, who purchased the airplane in June 2021, was performing a cross-country flight that originated at Liberty Municipal Airport (T78), Liberty, Texas, about 1234 [local time] with the intended destination of
Macon County Airport (1A5), Franklin, North Carolina. Due to weather conditions, the pilot diverted to Western Carolina Regional Airport (RHP) in Andrews.
A witness on the ramp, who was also a pilot, reported that the accident pilot entered the left downwind of the traffic pattern for runway 8 from the east and flew north of the runway; however, the published traffic pattern for runway 8 was right-hand traffic due to rising terrain north of the runway. The witness further reported that the pilot’s first approach was too fast, and he performed a go-around. The pilot continued to fly a left traffic pattern and landed on his second attempt. While on the ground at RHP, the pilot purchased 60 gallons of 100 low lead avia- tion fuel, received a [telephone] weather briefing through Leidos, and filed an instrument flight rules flight plan to Lancaster Airport (LNS), Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Takeoff minimums and obstacle departure procedures for RHP (an uncontrolled airport) required pilots to remain
4 • TWIN & TURBINE / December 2021