Beechcraft A36 N1085D

Summary

On 6 February 2010 at about 17:43 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N1085D, operated by Cooper Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Winslow, Arkansas, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 February 2010 at 17:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Winslow, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Drake Field Airport (FYV)

Coordinates

35.8353, -94.1483

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N1085D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cooper Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hot Springs → Fayetteville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10FA114

4 people died.

The instrument-rated pilot's spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control during flight in instrument meteorological and conditions favorable for structural icing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before being vectored for an instrument approach to the destination airport, the airplane was in visual meteorological conditions above a layer of clouds where earlier reports indicated icing conditions. During the descent, and as the airplane approached the initial fix for the approach, the airplane entered instrument meteorological conditions. Air traffic control communications and radar data indicated that the airplane flew past the initial fix and through the approach course after the air traffic controller instructed the pilot to intercept the approach course. The airplane turned right toward, and again through the approach course, followed by an additional and larger heading correction to the left and through the approach course. The airplane then flew an increasingly erratic flightpath until it disappeared from radar. The applicable Pilot's Operating Handbook and Federal Aviation Administration-approved Airplane Flight Manual indicated that flight in icing conditions was prohibited. The challenging visibility conditions and the airplane's flight track were conducive to the onset of pilot spatial disorientation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.