Beechcraft 95-B55 N210WW

Summary

On 20 November 1996 at about 19:08 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 registered N210WW was involved in an accident near Goleta, California, 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

20 November 1996 at 19:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Goleta, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Barbara Municipal (SBA)

Coordinates

34.4994, -120.1197

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55

Registration

N210WW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Long Beach → Santa Barbara

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX97FA046

1 person died.

failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during an instrument approach, due to spatial disorientation, and/or his failure to maintain proper altitude. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's delay (or failure) to initiate a missed approach, and his lack of instrument competency.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During IFR arrival, the pilot was cleared for an ILS runway 7 approach after being vectored to intercept the localizer from the south side. Last assigned altitude was 2000' msl. Radar data showed the aircraft (acft) continued across the localizer toward rising terrain. Air traffic controllers (ATC) issued instructions to turn back to the localizer, but the pilot did not follow. ATC then issued urgent instructions to turn & climb. (Later, they said he calmly acknowledged their transmissions, but continued toward rising terrain.) Radar contact was lost, but the airplane finally turned south. However, it hit avacado trees on the west side of sloping terrain at about 440' msl, while in a steep bank. No preimpact mechanical anomaly was found that would have resulted in the accident. The pilot's former wife recalled instances when he had miss-set the autopilot OBS; on those occasions, he had similarly deviated from the localizer at intercept & resisted her suggestion to take over manually & fly the approach, but persisted in trying to make the autopilot fly the approach. A flight instructor, who administered a biennial flight review 1 month earlier, found the pilot's instrument flight skills weak & refused to certify his instrument competency. Toxicology tests of tissue from the pilot indicated the presence of a narcotic pain reliever and its metabolite. Tests of kidney tissue showed 0.337 mcg/ml Propoxyphene & 2.7 mcg/ml Norpropoxyphene; tests of muscle tissue showed 0.385 mcg/ml Propoxyphene and 1.9 mcg/ml Norpropoxyphene.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.