Beechcraft D55 N4884J

Summary

On 17 August 1995 at about 20:14 local time, a Beechcraft D55 registered N4884J was involved in an accident near Kingsburg, California, 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

17 August 1995 at 20:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Kingsburg, California, United States

Nearest airport

Visalia (VIS)

Coordinates

36.4800, -119.4995

Aircraft

Beechcraft D55

Registration

N4884J

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Visalia → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95FA297

2 people died.

the failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed during a simulated engine failure to avoid an inadvertent stall/spin, and inadequate supervision by the designated pilot examiner. A factor in the accident was the decision of the examiner to use an airplane without dual flight controls during a multiengine airplane flight test.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The purpose of the flight was for the designated pilot examiner to reexamine the private pilot for a multiengine class rating flight test. During the previous flight test, the applicant pilot failed to maintain altitude during a simulated engine failure while flying a practice instrument approach under simulated instrument conditions. Thereafter, the pilot received 1.5 hours of remedial flight instruction from his flight instructor. During the accident flight test, radar data showed the airplane paralleling the outbound course of the VOR instrument approach at the procedure turn altitude. Witnesses observed the airplane descending in a flat spin and crash into an open field. Examination of the wreckage revealed the right engine's propeller blades had damage to all three blades consistent with rotation. The left engine's propeller blades had one blade undamaged and two blades bent aft. No evidence was found indicating that any of the blades had been feathered; and no evidence was found of any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane was equipped with a throw over type of control column for elevator and aileron control and was located in front of the applicant. The decision to use an airplane without dual flight controls is at the discretion of the examiner.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.