Embraer EMB-110P1 N49BA

Summary

On 14 January 2005 at about 03:15 local time, a Embraer EMB-110P1 registered N49BA was involved in an accident near Swanzey, New Hampshire, 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

14 January 2005 at 03:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Swanzey, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Dillant-Hopkins (EEN)

Coordinates

42.8983, -72.2372

Aircraft

Embraer EMB-110P1

Registration

N49BA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bangor → Swanzey

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC05FA042

1 person died.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt a single-engine missed approach with the airplane in a slow airspeed, full flap configuration, which resulted in a minimum control speed (Vmc) roll. Contributing factors included an inoperative engine for undetermined reasons, the pilot's in-flight decision to divert to an airport with low ceilings and visibility while better conditions existed elsewhere, the pilot's failure to advise or seek assistance from air traffic control or his company, and the low cloud ceilings, fog, and night lighting conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

En route to the company's home airport, the twin-engine airplane either experienced a loss of power to the right engine, or the pilot decided to shut the engine down. Although the home airport had night visual meteorological conditions, and there was no evidence of any malfunction with the remaining engine, the pilot opted to fly a night precision instrument approach to an airport 45 nautical miles closer, with a 1-mile visibility and a 100-foot ceiling. Unknown to the pilot, there was also fog at the airport. The pilot did not advise or seek assistance from air traffic control or the company. When the airplane broke out of the clouds, it was not stable. Approaching the runway, at full flaps and exceeding the 25 percent maximum for a go-around, the pilot added full power to the left engine. The high power setting, slow airspeed, and full flaps combination resulted in a minimum control speed (Vmc) roll. No determination could be made as to why the right engine was inoperative, and there were no mechanical or fuel-related anomalies found that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.