code

AR

Crash of a Beechcraft E90 King Air near Fayetteville: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 2023 at 1243 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N522MJ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
University-Oxford – Fayetteville
MSN:
LW-80
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed University-Oxford Airport on a private flight to Fayetteville. On approach to Drake Airport Runway 34, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in rugged terrain located south of the airfield. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super king Air in Little Rock: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 2023 at 1157 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N55PC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Little Rock - Columbus
MSN:
BB-1170
YOM:
1983
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 18 at Little Rock-Bill & Hillary Clinton (Adams Field) Airport, while in initial climb in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located about 1,500 metres past the runway end, near a stone quarry, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five occupants were killed. Employees of the CTEH Company, they were en route to Columbus responding to an emergency response plan. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were marginal with a visibility of 2 SM due to rain. Four minutes prior to the accident, the wind was 19 knots gusting to 27 knots and five minutes after the accident, the wind was gusting to 40 knots.

Crash of a Learjet 45 in Batesville

Date & Time: Nov 29, 2022 at 1910 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N988MC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waterloo – Batesville
MSN:
45-352
YOM:
2007
Flight number:
DHR003
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Waterloo Regional Airport (ACO), Waterloo, Iowa, about 1757LT on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and climbed to cruise at flight level (FL) 410. During the arrival to BVX, a non-towered airport, the air traffic controller cleared the airplane for the RNAV (GPS) Runway 08 approach and the crew cancelled IFR after visually acquiring the runway environment. The airplane crossed the final approach fix at 265 knots ADS-B groundspeed and the Runway 8 threshold at 190 knots ADS-B groundspeed. The airplane landed about 2,000 feet past the threshold of the 6,022 feet runway, which was wet due to earlier precipitation. Tire marks consistent with intermittent braking application started about 3,021 feet from the end of the runway. Tire marks consistent with continuous anti-skid braking application began about 2,069 feet from the end of the runway and continued until the end of the runway. The airplane exited the runway at an airspeed of about 100 knots ADS-B groundspeed, then continued forward and struck a ditch and the airport perimeter fence before coming to rest nearby a road, approximately 1,240 feet past the runway end. Both pilot were slightly injured and all six passengers escaped unhurt.

Crash of a Piper PA-46-310P Malibu in Danville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 23, 2021 at 1701 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N461DK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Muskogee – Williston
MSN:
46-8508102
YOM:
1985
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1431
Circumstances:
The pilot was conducting an instrument flight rules cross-country flight and climbing to a planned altitude of 23,000 ft mean sea level (msl). According to air traffic control data, as the airplane climbed through 18,600 ft msl, its groundspeed was 171 knots, and a gradual reduction in groundspeed began. After reaching an altitude of about 20,200 ft msl, the airplane began a descent on a southeast heading. Just before the descent began, the airplane’s groundspeed had decreased to 145 knots. About 2 minutes after the descent began, the airplane turned right to a northeast heading on which it continued for about 30 seconds. The flightpath then became erratic before the data ended. The pilot made no distress calls and did not respond to repeated calls from the controller. The main wreckage of the airplane was located in densely forested terrain at an elevation of about 930 ft about 1,000 ft south of the last radar return. The outboard portion of the right wing, right aileron, right horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator were not located with the main wreckage and, despite ground and aerial searches with a small unmanned aircraft system, were not found. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the missing wing and tail sections separated in flight due to overload. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any pre-existing mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Weather forecasts indicated that the accident site was in an area where moderate icing conditions up to 25,000 ft msl, embedded thunderstorms, and 2-inch hail were forecasted. Review of preflight weather information received by the pilot indicated that he was aware of the conditions forecast on the route of flight before initiating the flight. Meteorological data revealed that the airplane likely entered icing conditions that ranged from light to heavy as it climbed through 14,000 ft msl about 23 minutes after takeoff and remained in icing conditions for the remaining 16-minute duration of the flight. Freezing drizzle conditions were likely present along the flightpath. Although the airplane was equipped for flight in icing conditions, the pilot’s operating handbook contained a warning about flight into severe icing conditions, which stated that flight in freezing drizzle could result in ice build-up on protected surfaces exceeding the capability of the ice protection system. The airplane’s gradual loss of groundspeed as it climbed was consistent with ice accumulating on the airplane. It is likely that during the 16 minutes the airplane was operating in icing conditions, the capability of the ice protection system was exceeded, which resulted in a degradation of aircraft performance and subsequent aerodynamic stall. During the ensuing uncontrolled descent, the structural capability of the airplane was exceeded, which resulted in an inflight break up. A review of the pilot’s records revealed multiple certificate application failures for reasons that included inadequate knowledge of cross-country flight planning, aircraft performance, and stalls. Review of the pilot’s airman knowledge written tests found areas answered incorrectly over multiple exams included meteorology, aircraft performance, aeronautical decision-making, and stalls. The ethanol identified in the pilot’s cavity blood was most likely the result of postmortem production. Therefore, effects from ethanol did not play any role in this accident. The cargo was documented as it was removed from the airplane and remained secure until after it was weighed. Based upon the weight of the cargo, passengers, airplane, and fuel from the filed flight plan, at the time of departure, the airplane would have been about 361 lbs over maximum gross weight. According to the FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, an overloaded airplane “may exhibit unexpected and unusually poor flight characteristics,” which include reduced maneuverability and an increased stall speed.
Probable cause:
The pilot’s improper decision to continue flight in an area of moderate-to-heavy icing conditions, which resulted in exceedance of the airplane’s anti-icing system capabilities, a degradation of aircraft performance, and subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft C90 King Air in Springdale: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 2013 at 1742 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N269JG
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pine Bluff - Bentonville
MSN:
LJ-949
YOM:
1981
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3367
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Aircraft flight hours:
11396
Circumstances:
As the airplane was descending toward its destination airport, the pilot reported to an air traffic controller en route that he needed to change his destination to a closer airport because the airplane was low on fuel. The controller advised him to land at an airport that was 4 miles away. Shortly after, the pilot contacted the alternate airport’s air traffic control tower (ATCT) and reported that he was low on fuel. The tower controller cleared the airplane to land, and, about 30 seconds later, the pilot advised that he was not going to make it to the airport. The airplane subsequently impacted a field 3.25 miles southeast of the airport. One witness reported hearing the engine sputter, and another witness reported that the engine “did not sound right.” Forty-foot power lines crossed the field 311 feet from the point of impact. It is likely that the pilot was attempting to avoid the power lines during the forced landing and that the airplane then experienced an inadvertent stall and an uncontrolled collision with terrain. About 1 quart of fuel was observed in each fuel tank. No evidence of fuel spillage was found on the ground; no fuel stains were observed on the undersides of the wing panels, wing trailing edges, or engine nacelles; and no fuel smell was observed at the accident site. However, the fuel totalizer showed that 123 gallons of fuel was remaining. Magnification of the annunciator panel light bulbs revealed that the left and right low fuel pressure annunciator lights were illuminated at the time of impact. An examination of the airframe and engines revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. About 1 month before the accident, the pilot had instructed the fixed-base operator at Camden, Arkansas, to put 25 gallons of fuel in each wing tank; however, it is unknown how much fuel was already onboard the airplane. Although the fuel totalizer showed that the airplane had 123 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of the crash, information in the fuel totalizer is based on pilot inputs, and it is likely the pilot did not update the fuel totalizer properly before the accident flight. The pilot was likely relying on the fuel totalizer instead of the fuel gauges for fuel information, and he likely reported his low fuel situation to the ATCT after the annunciator lights illuminated.
Probable cause:
A total loss of power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion. Also causal were the pilot’s reliance on the fuel totalizer rather than the fuel quantity gauges to determine the fuel on
board and his improper fuel planning.
Final Report: