Beechcraft 65 N555GC
19 December 1992 · Orlando, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 19 December 1992 at about 12:39 local time, a Beechcraft 65 registered N555GC, operated by Edwards, William J., was involved in an accident near Orlando, Florida, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 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 12:39
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Orlando, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft 65
- Registration
- N555GC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Edwards, William J.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sanford → Fort Lauderdale
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA93FA031
People
5 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER OF THE LEFT ENGINE. THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY MAINTAINED FUEL SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON(S).
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
PLT REPORTED LEVEL AT 6,000 FT; NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED. RADAR DATA SHOWS THAT AFTER 5 MIN AT CRUISE FLT GROUNDSPEED BEGAN TO SLOW, AND AS SPEED REACHED 85 KTS (VMC IS 83 KTS) ACFT MADE A RAPID TURN TO THE LEFT AND THE SPEED DROPPED TO 74 KTS. RADAR CONTACT WAS THEN LOST. WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING AND SEEING ACFT WITH AN ENG SPUTTERING AND QUITTING, AT WHICH TIME NO ENG NOISE WAS AUDIBLE. ENG WOULD THEN RESTART, AND AT ONE POINT ACFT WAS OBSERVED INITIATING A CLIMB AFTER ENG START. ENG RESTARTED AND OBTAINED NEAR FULL POWER, AND A SHORT TIME LATER SOUND OF IMPACT WAS HEARD. THE LEFT ENG FUEL SERVO WAS FOUND CONTAMINATED WITH CORROSION AND DIRT, AND WOULD NOT ALLOW FUEL FLOW TO THE ENG. THE FUEL STRAINER FOR THIS ENG WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS ALLOWING UNFILTERED FUEL TO ENTER THE ENG. THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED AND HAD NO SIGNS OF ROTATION UNDER POWER. RIGHT ENG FUEL SERVO ALSO CONTAINED CORROSION & CONTAMINATION. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft 65 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 1992 | Beechcraft 65 | Madison, Virginia, United States | MC GEE, John J. | Fatal | 2 |
| 30 Jan 1993 | Beechcraft 65-A90 | Marfa, Texas, United States | Johnson, Dennis | No injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 1993 | Beechcraft 65-A90 | Midlothian, Texas, United States | Roever Evangelistic | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft 65 | Meridian, Mississippi, United States | Jack Marshall Foods, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 May 1993 | Beechcraft 65-A90 | Mount Ida, Arkansas, United States | Arkansas Flight Management | Fatal | 2 |
| 30 Jun 1991 | Beechcraft 65 | Pioneer, California, United States | - | Fatal | 6 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 1992 | Cessna 150M | Stuart, Florida, United States | Flight Training International | No injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1992 | Burch ROTORWAY EXEC | Lakeland, Florida, United States | Ronald W.case | No injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-32-260 | Kissimmee, Florida, United States | Perman, William | No injuries | - |
| 10 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-28-161 | New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States | ACS, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Feb 1992 | Cessna 172N | Orlando, Florida, United States | Flight Express, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Feb 1992 | Cessna 152 | Perry, Florida, United States | Comair Aviation Academy | No injuries | - |