Beechcraft BE-58 N555AC

Summary

On 27 January 1994 at about 03:02 local time, a Beechcraft BE-58 registered N555AC, operated by Cape Central Airways, was involved in an accident near Newtown, Ohio, 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

27 January 1994 at 03:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Newtown, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Lunken (LUK)

Coordinates

39.1101, -84.3298

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-58

Registration

N555AC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Cape Central Airways

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cincinatti → Cleveland

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO94FA032

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTATED IN NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION, HIS LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE OF THE OPERATION BY THE CHIEF PILOT/COMPANY MANAGEMENT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE & RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR A NIGHT CARGO FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS. NO ABNORMALITIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT, OR BY WITNESSES WHO SPOKE WITH HIM. HE TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 6 & CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL. AFTER ENTERING CLOUDS DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE TURNED FROM THE INTENDED COURSE & ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT. IT CRASHED ON A HEADING OF 290 DEGREES, WHILE IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME, ENGINES, OR SYSTEMS. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED 31.5 HOURS OF MULTIENGINE FLIGHT TIME & 65.7 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME AS OF ABOUT 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT; NO PILOT LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE LOCATED TO VERIFY SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT TIME. THE CHIEF PILOT WAS A 'GOOD FRIEND' OF THE PILOT. HE HAD DOCUMENTED FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF THE ACCIDENT PILOT, WHICH WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE PILOT'S PERSONAL LOGBOOK OR VERBAL COMMENTS BY THE ACCIDENT PILOT, 6 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. REPORTEDLY, THIS WAS THE PILOT'S 4TH OR 5TH SINGLE-PILOT PART 135 FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.