Beechcraft 58P N180PB

Summary

On 8 November 1994 at about 17:04 local time, a Beechcraft 58P registered N180PB was involved in an accident near Great Falls, Montana, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 November 1994 at 17:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Great Falls, Montana, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58P

Registration

N180PB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Sidney

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA95FA017

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

JUST AFTER LIFT OFF, THE PILOT RADIOED THE TOWER THAT HE WAS GOING TO RETURN FOR LANDING. THE CONTROLLER STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED IN A STANDARD RATE TURN TO THE LEFT AT 50 FEET AGL AND A SLOW AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED THE LEFT TURN, WHEN THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH LEVEL OPEN TERRAIN. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED AN OBJECT, THAT WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS A GARMENT BAG, FALL FROM THE AIRPLANE NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT BOTH CABIN DOORS WERE SECURED AND LOCKED. THE NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR HAD BEEN CONSUMED IN THE FIRE. BOTH LATCHES TO THE DOOR WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND UNDER THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE. THE INTERNAL LOCKING MECHANISM TO THESE LATCHES WERE IN THE LOCKED POSITION. THE LATCHES CAN BE LOCKED WITHOUT THE DOOR BEING COMPLETELY CLOSED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.