Beechcraft B35 N5176C

Summary

On 2 May 2015 at about 15:15 local time, a Beechcraft B35 registered N5176C was involved in an accident near Orange, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 May 2015 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Orange, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.0792, -93.7947

Aircraft

Beechcraft B35

Registration

N5176C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Orange → Orange

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15FA214

2 people were seriously injured.

The impact with power lines for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after the private pilot and flight instructor took off on a local training flight several witnesses reported seeing the airplane's wings rocking back and forth just before the airplane struck power lines and then terrain. None of these witnesses reported hearing a loss of engine power. Neither of the pilots recalled the events leading up to the accident or the accident itself. Witness marks on the airplane and propeller were consistent with an impact with power lines. Signatures on the propeller were consistent with little to no engine power at the time of the impact with the power lines; however, investigators were unable to determine if the pilot reduced engine power, or if the engine lost power, before impact. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was determined to be 100 lbs over gross weight (about 2,751 lbs) at the time of takeoff. Calculations using the airplane's performance charts and the weather conditions that existed at the time of the accident indicated that the airplane had sufficient runway available to clear a 50-ft obstacle at a gross weight of 2,600 pounds. It is unknown how significantly the airplane's overweight condition would have impacted the airplane's climb performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.