Beechcraft 95-B55B N9HC

Summary

On 15 March 1994 at about 10:10 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55B registered N9HC was involved in an accident near Battlement Mesa, Colorado, 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.

Date

15 March 1994 at 10:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Battlement Mesa, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55B

Registration

N9HC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rifle → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW94FA104

1 person died.

IMPAIRED JUDGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL THAT RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE (OR ALTITUDE) FROM TERRAIN, WHILE FLYING AT NIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT HAD DINNER WITH FRIENDS AND CONSUMED ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. LATER, HE AND HIS FRIENDS BECAME SEPARATED. AT ABOUT 0030 MST, A TAXICAB DRIVER MET THE PILOT AND DROVE HIM TO THE AIRPORT, ARRIVING ABOUT 0200. THE DRIVER DESCRIBED THE PILOT AS BEING 'HAMMERED,' BUT SAID HE SLEPT DURING THE TRIP TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT TOLD THE DRIVER HE WAS GOING TO GET IN THE AIRPLANE AND 'SLEEP IT OFF' BEFORE DEPARTING. A WITNESS, LOCATED 5 MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT, REPORTED AN AIRPLANE MADE LOW DIVING PASSES OVER HER RESIDENCE BETWEEN 0235 AND 0305. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED TWO DAYS LATER AT THE 10,550 FOOT LEVEL OF A MESA, ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. TOXICOLOGY TESTS FOR ETHANOL IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD AND BILE DISCLOSED LEVELS OF 200 AND 220 MG/DL (0.20% & 0.22%), RESPECTIVELY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.