Pilot Debrief

BEECH 95 B55 (T42A) near Broadus, MT — 2016-09-17

Final reportWPR16FA182
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Date
2016-09-17
Location
Broadus, MT, USA
Airport
00F
Aircraft
BEECH 95 B55 (T42A)
Registration
N413D
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
3
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The airplane's departure from cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot and his passengers departed on a personal cross-country flight and flew southeast toward their destination. Radar tracking indicated that after departure, the airplane attained an altitude of about 5,600 ft mean sea level (msl) in about 13 minutes. Radar data became intermittent; however, when radar contact was reestablished several minutes later, the airplane tracking was consistent with the course and altitude of the flight. The last data tracks identified the airplane at 5,800 ft msl. The wreckage was located on flat open land at an elevation of 3,751 ft about 58 miles southeast from the last radar return. There were no witnesses to the accident, and no significant weather was in the area at the time of the accident. Ground signatures and an examination of the airframe revealed evidence that the airplane collided with the ground in a nose-low near vertical attitude. Damage signatures and a teardown examination revealed that the propeller damage for both the left and right-side propeller assemblies was similar with the physical damage indicating rotation with power on at the time of impact. Postaccident examinations of the airframe, engine, and propellers revealed no discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the departure from cruise flight and the loss of control could not be determined from the available evidence.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to return to BIL after initial climb instead of continuing flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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