Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Royal, Arkansas 71968
Tuesady, January 3, 1995 18:17 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING, FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, AND TOOK OFF AT NIGHT ON A FLIGHT FROM HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, TO PUEBLO, COLORADO. ABOUT ONE MINUTE LATER, HE ADVISED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT HE NEEDED TO RETURN TO HOT SPRINGS. HE THEN CONTACTED THE AIRPLANE OPERATOR AND SAID THE HEATER WAS NOT WORKING. THE OPERATOR SUGGESTED THAT HE RETURN FOR REPAIRS. THE PILOT WAS THEN HEARD TO SAY, 'OH, SHOOT!' NO FURTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CUT A 400 FOOT SWATH THROUGH TREES, AND THE WRECKAGE PATH MEASURED 940 FEET. WITH EXCEPTION OF A HEATER PROBLEM, NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DESCEND AND COLLIDE WITH TREES, AFTER HE BECAME DIVERTED BY AN INOPERATIVE CABIN HEATER. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/3/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1817
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ROYAL
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71968
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID HOT
Elevation of weather observation facility 540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2137
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 3 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N101GA
NTSB Number FTW95FA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 65-90
Aircraft Series Identifier 65-90
Aircraft Serial Number LJ-11
Certified Max Gross Weight 9000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 8 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 7507
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRBORNE FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 525 AIRPORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City HOT SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71913
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code PQGA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HOT
Departure City HOT SPRINGS
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1814
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PUB
Destination City PUEBLO
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --