Beechcraft S35 N5865J

Summary

On 4 June 1993 at about 14:52 local time, a Beechcraft S35 registered N5865J was involved in an accident near Lovelock, Nevada, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 June 1993 at 14:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Lovelock, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

40.3210, -118.1991

Aircraft

Beechcraft S35

Registration

N5865J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → Pasco

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93FA246

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE 0356 WEATHER BRIEFING, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS FOR NEVADA WHICH INCLUDED MODERATE TURBULENCE, OCCASIONAL MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, OCCASIONAL MODERATE RIME OR MIXED ICING, AND SOME CEILINGS BELOW 1,000 FT AND VISIBILITY BELOW 3 MI. HE WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED IN THE MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT AREA. THE PILOT ASKED ABOUT THE WEATHER ON AN ALTERNATE ROUTE AND WAS TOLD THAT ROUTE HAD MANY OF THE SAME PRECAUTIONS. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LAS VEGAS AT 0507, AND THERE IS NO RECORD OF ANY COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PILOT AND ATC. THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND AT THE 8,000-FT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED CEILINGS ABOUT 400 FT AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.