Flagstaff Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flagstaff, Arizona 86002
Friday, December 20, 1991 9:12 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instrument-rated commercial pilot was executing a circling VOR/DME instrument approach in IFR conditions. The pilot reported the runway in sight and was circling to land west of the airport just before the accident. Witnesses reported that the airplane descended in a near vertical attitude from the overcast, striking a highway curb lane about .75 miles from the airport. No evidence of preimpact failures or malfunctions with the primary flight controls or engines was found. The pitch trim position could not be determined conclusively because the trim control cables were broken and disrupted by impact. However, evidence was not sufficient to conclude that full nose-down trim was present at the time of upset. An examination of the autopilot annunciator module indicated that the HDG, NAV, AUTOTRIM and FAIL warning lights may have been illuminated. When the autopilot detects a trim system failure, the trim servo is deactivated and the AUTOTRIM and FAIL warning lights will flash. The AUTOTRIM light will also flash if the trim master switch is turned off, making the autopilot system evidence inconclusive. Because the autopilot system evidence was inconclusive, the role of the autopilot in the accident could not be determined. However, airplane descent information provided by witnesses and impact evidence were consistent with an aerodynamic stall at low altitude and were not consistent with an uncorrected autopilot induced pitch-down excursion.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed at low altitude, which resulted in a stall and loss of airplane control during a circling approach to landing in instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 912
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City FLAGSTAFF
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86002
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport FLAGSTAFF
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 7011
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 915 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID FLG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2075
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46443
Date of most recent change to record Oct 12 2006 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record LEMA
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N766BA
NTSB Number LAX92FA065
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 58P
Aircraft Series Identifier 58P
Aircraft Serial Number TJ-338
Certified Max Gross Weight 6200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 25 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2431
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name IAN HERZOG & D. KAUFMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 233 WILSHIRE BLVD, STE 550
Aircraft Owner City SANTA MONICA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name D. KAUFMAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 23155 MARIPOSA DE ORO
Operator City MALIBU
Operator State CA
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code 90265
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PRC
Departure City PRESCOTT
Departure State AZ
Departure Country --
Departure Time 834
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 12 2006 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record LEMA
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 6999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --