Beechcraft D17S N79091

Summary

On 25 May 2018 at about 19:42 local time, a Beechcraft D17S registered N79091, operated by Mid Continent Instrument Company, Inc., was involved in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 May 2018 at 19:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.2936, -105.5819

Aircraft

Beechcraft D17S

Registration

N79091

Category

Airplane

Year built

1942

Engines

1

Operator

Mid Continent Instrument Company, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Perryton → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18FA192

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain 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

The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in day visual meteorological conditions. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) track data revealed that most of the flight was flown at a cruise altitude of 10,500 ft mean sea level (msl) on a direct course to the planned destination. About 23 minutes before the accident, the airplane began shallow turns to the right and left of a direct course to the destination, consistent with the pilot making manual course corrections as the airplane continued toward the airport. Similarly, the airplane's altitude began to fluctuate ±100 feet from the target cruise altitude of 10,500 ft msl. About 2.5 minutes before the accident, the airplane entered a descent from 10,500 ft msl. During the final 2 minutes of the flight, the airplane had an average descent rate of 1,375 ft per minute and a ground speed between 99 knots and 121 knots. The final ADS-B return was about 385 ft east-northeast of the accident site at 7,025 ft msl (near ground level), and the ground speed was about 106 knots. At no point during the flight did the pilot declare an emergency with air traffic control or report having any problems. There were no witnesses to the accident. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's landing gear and flaps were retracted. The fuel tanks ruptured during impact; however, fuel was observed in fuel lines, the engine-driven fuel pump, and the carburetor. The propeller exhibited damage consistent with the engine operating at the time of impact. Autopsy and toxicology of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation. The reason for the airplane's descent and impact with terrain could not be determined based on the available information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.