Beechcraft 58 N104SB
16 August 1991 · Brookhaven, New York, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 16 August 1991 at about 19:21 local time, a Beechcraft 58 registered N104SB, operated by John G. Lauchner, was involved in an accident near Brookhaven, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:21
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Brookhaven, New York, United States
- Nearest airport
- Mac Arthur (ISP)
- Coordinates
- 40.7802, -72.9101
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft 58
- Registration
- N104SB
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- John G. Lauchner
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Groton → Islip
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC91FA212
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
PILOT PHYSIOLOGICAL INCAPACITATION WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT, AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO WATER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE ON A HEADING OF APPROX 270, THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW ANOTHER AIRPLANE INTO THE AIRPORT. HE DID NOT TURN IN ON FINAL AND CONTINUED FOR ALMOST 3 MILES. WHEN THE ATCT TOLD HIM TO TURN TO 180 FOR RESEQUENCING, HE TURNED TO 330, TOWARD THE AIRPORT AND STARTED A DESCENT FROM 2000 FEET. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED TO 1600 FEET, AND THEN STARTED A CLIMB BACK TO 2000 FEET, WITH A SHALLOW LEFT TURN, CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL AND CONTINUED THE TURN TO 150. THE RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT SPEED STARTED TO DECREASE WHEN THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED. THERE WAS A CONTINUED DECREASE OF SPEED TO 44 KNOTS, AT WHICH POINT, THE AIRPLANE STARTED A DESCENT, FOLLOWED BY A LEFT SPIN, AND IMPACTED WATER. THE RADAR DATA SHOWED NO RAPID COURSE CHANGES PRIOR TO THE LOW POINT OF SPEED. THE AIR/GROUND TAPES SHOWED THE PILOT SOMETIMES TOOK ALMOST A MINUTE BETWEEN FREQUENCY CHANGES, AND HIS VOICE WAS INDECISIVE AND HESITANT. THE PILOT HAD BEEN TREATED FOR SEIZURES SINCE 1974. ANTI-SEIZURE MEDICATION WAS FOUND IN HIS TOXICOLOGICAL SAMPLES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft 58 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 May 1991 | Beechcraft 58P | Wichita, Kansas, United States | Airparts Company, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Feb 1991 | Beechcraft 58 | St. Thomas | Heath, Alfred O | No injuries | - |
| 20 Dec 1991 | Beechcraft 58P | Flagstaff, Arizona, United States | D. Kaufman | Fatal | 2 |
| 5 Mar 1991 | Beechcraft 58 | Whites City, New Mexico, United States | Stipp, Robert J. | Fatal | 2 |
| 17 Aug 1991 | Beechcraft 58TC | Kalispell, Montana, United States | Orin O. Terry | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jan 1991 | Beechcraft 58 | St. Maarten I., Netherlands Antilles | Rogers, Belden A. | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1991 | Maule M6-235 | Arcade, New York, United States | Haley, Lawrence E. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1991 | Cessna C-172 | Clarence Center, New York, United States | Augusta Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1991 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Rhinebeck, New York, United States | Catskill Transportation | No injuries | - |
| 14 Jul 1991 | Robinson R-22B | White Plains, New York, United States | Engle Helicopter, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1991 | Cessna 152 | Springwater, New York, United States | State Aerial Farm Statistics | No injuries | - |
| 12 Aug 1991 | Cessna 152 | Bear Mountain, New York, United States | Control Arrow, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |