Beechcraft 58 FOXSTAR N333KS

Summary

On 24 October 1994 at about 03:45 local time, a Beechcraft 58 FOXSTAR registered N333KS was involved in an accident near Shaw Island, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 October 1994 at 03:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Shaw Island, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip (Unnamed)

Coordinates

48.5710, -122.9598

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58 FOXSTAR

Registration

N333KS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Bellingham

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA95FA010

2 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO TAKE OFF ON AN UNLIGHTED RUNWAY, AND THE UNEVEN RUNWAY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT IN A BEECH 58 THAT HAD RECEIVED A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE (STC) FOR A COLEMILL ENTERPRISE 'FOXSTAR' CONVERSION. THE TAKEOFF WAS ON AN UNLIGHTED, UNEVEN, SHORT, PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. THE OWNER OF THE AIRSTRIP HEARD THE AIRPLANE AND SAID THE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED FROM THE NORTH END WITH PARTIAL POWER. HE REPORTED THAT ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINES SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE AT FULL POWER AND THAT THEY SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL THE PLANE CRASHED. IMPACT OCCURRED ABOUT 100' EAST AND 225' NORTH OF THE SOUTHERN RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE PLANE HAD STALLED AND CRASHED IN A STEEP DESCENT. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS EXHIBITED 'ACCORDION' CRUSH DAMAGE, AND TREES NEXT TO THE IMPACT POINT WERE UNDAMAGED. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN A RETRACTED POSITION, AND THE GEAR WAS FOUND EXTENDED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCY WAS FOUND. A TOXICOLOGY TEST (AT CAMI) SHOWED THE PILOT'S BLOOD HAD AN ETHANOL LEVEL OF 98 MG/ML (0.098%), BUT THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF POSTMORTEM ETHANOL PRODUCTION. A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED A LOW LEVEL OF BENZOYLECGONINE (0.272 UG/ML). ALSO, CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND PSEUDOEPHEDRINE (OVER-THE-COUNTER ANTIHISTAMINES) WERE DETECTED IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD, URINE, AND LIVER FLUID, BUT AT LEVELS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED IN IMPAIRMENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.