Beechcraft 58P N2061K

Summary

On 17 March 2023 at about 16:40 local time, a Beechcraft 58P registered N2061K was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, 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

17 March 2023 at 16:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Lubbock Executive Airpark (F82)

Coordinates

33.4998, -101.8202

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58P

Registration

N2061K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23FA139

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to ensure a proper fuel selector position before takeoff, which resulted in a loss of left engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after the loss of left engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot landed at the departure airport and dropped off passengers before the accident flight. The pilot then left the airplane while it was being fueled and returned after fueling was completed. The pilot walked around the airplane while talking on a cellular phone, which was not consistent with a proper preflight inspection of the airplane due to his diverted attention. After the engines were started, the airplane taxied to the departure runway. A witness stated that he did not see or hear an engine run-up before takeoff. The witness said the airplane’s takeoff was normal and later heard an audible change in engine sound after it had become airborne. Surveillance video recorded the airplane in a nose-down, left bank attitude before entering a left roll into an inverted attitude and impacting the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left cockpit fuel selector was in the OFF position, which likely led to fuel starvation and a loss of left engine power. Additionally, the left engine propeller exhibited features of low/no power. The right propeller exhibited features consistent with higher power and a blade angle near takeoff/climb power. The initial left roll of the airplane likely resulted from the loss of left engine power. Examination of the engines revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Flight control continuity of the airplane was confirmed and the continued left roll after the loss of left engine power indicated a loss of control by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.