Pilot Debrief

BEECH 58 near Topeka, KS — 2011-04-22

Final reportCEN11FA302
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Date
2011-04-22
Location
Topeka, KS, USA
Airport
TOP
Aircraft
BEECH 58
Registration
N580EA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
4
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s minimal experience flying in actual instrument conditions.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s minimal experience flying in actual instrument conditions.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was cleared for a localizer approach to the airport in instrument conditions. However, the pilot overshot the final approach course and decided to perform a missed approach. While climbing during the missed approach, the pilot requested and was cleared to fly a global positioning satellite (GPS) approach to the airport. The pilot was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) to set up for the GPS approach when the airplane departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. The airplane fragmented and a postcrash fire ensued. Crush angles on fragmented pieces of the airplane indicated the airplane struck the ground in a left descending turn at high speed. Radar data showed the airplane maneuvering north-northeast of the airport in a left descending turn before it disappeared from radar. The weather conditions at the airport at the time of the accident were reported as a 500-foot overcast ceiling and 10 miles visibility. According to the pilot’s records, in the 5 months since he received his instrument rating, he had logged 0.7 hours of instrument time. His total time logged as flying in actual instrument conditions was 11 hours. Additionally, the pilot received his multiengine airplane rating 2 months before the accident and had logged 28.7 total hours of multiengine airplane flight time. It is likely that that the pilot became disoriented while maneuvering in IMC to set up for the GPS approach and lost control of the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have executed a go-around instead of attempting to circle to land.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 26 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents26

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