Beechcraft 58P N258W

Summary

On 5 August 1997 at about 16:58 local time, a Beechcraft 58P registered N258W was involved in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, 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

5 August 1997 at 16:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Colorado Springs Muni (COS)

Coordinates

38.8909, -104.6994

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58P

Registration

N258W

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Broomfield → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97FA299

2 people died.

failure of the pilot to follow IFR procedures; and his failure to maintain proper altitude, while executing a missed approach from an attempted ILS approach. Related factors included: low ceiling, rain, fog, the pilot's overconfidence in his personal ability, and inadequate service provided by the approach controller by not providing current weather and airport information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During arrival, the pilot contacted 'Springs Approach' & was provided a vector to join the localizer for an ILS DME Runway 17L Approach. He was advised that runway RVR was 4,000 feet (about 3/4 mile visibility), but was not provided other current weather or airport information. In preparation for the ILS, he was instructed to descend & maintain 9,000 feet, then to reduce his speed 20 knots as he was closing on an MD-80, 3 miles ahead. About 2 minutes later (without issuing a clearance for the ILS approach), the pilot was transferred to tower frequency. Soon thereafter, the tower controller advised the pilot that radar showed he had deviated from the localizer course & inquired about his intentions. The pilot said he was going to make a missed approach. To ensure separation from other traffic, the controller told the pilot to turn left to 090 degrees, climb, & maintain 9,000 feet. Seconds later, the controller noted the pilot was below minimum vectoring altitude & told him to start his climb. The pilot acknowledged. About a minute later, the controller asked the pilot for his heading; the pilot replied '...190 heading to 090.' The controller told him to 'Start a left turn now. You're headed towards the mountains.' The pilot acknowledged, but moments later, radio & radar contact with the airplane were lost. The airplane impacted a small hill about 5 miles north of the airport on a magnetic heading of 080 degrees. Although the pilot was certificated to fly multiengine airplanes in instrument meteorological conditions, FAA records revealed he had once failed the instrument practical test; had made an inadvertent wheels up landing in the airplane; had failed an instrument procedures refresher course; and had once failed the multiengine practical test. These events occurred 18, 10, 7, and 6 months before the accident, respectively.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.