Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Niles, Michigan 49120
Friday, February 4, 2005 9:20 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The twin-engine airplane was destroyed when it departed from cruise flight at 7,000 feet mean sea level (msl) in visual meteorological conditions and impacted the terrain in a wooded area. The fight was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The airplane departed at 0838 eastern standard time. Radar track data indicated that altitude remained constant at 7,000 feet msl until 0919:42. At 0919:47, the radar data indicated the airplane was at 6,900 feet msl. At 0919:52, the radar data indicated the airplane was at 5,800 feet msl. At 0919:57, the radar data indicated the airplane was at 5,300 feet msl. At 0920:02, the radar data indicated the airplane was at 3,400 feet msl. No further radar contact with the airplane was recorded. The radar track data indicated that the airplane's heading and altitude went almost "straight down." Radar track data indicated the airplane impacted the terrain at about 300 knots true airspeed with about a maximum descent rate of 25,000-feet per minute. The descent angle of the airplane was about 70-80 degrees nose down. The main wreckage was localized at the impact crater. The engines, the cockpit and cabin, both wings, and the empennage were found in the impact crater. The cockpit was fragmented and destroyed by impact forces. Flight control continuity could not be established due to the destructive impact forces. All flight control cable breaks were consistent with overload fractures. The inspection of the airframe revealed no preexisting anomalies. Engine continuity and compression could not be established for the left and right engines due to impact forces. The engine inspections revealed no preexisting anomalies. The pilot had a total of 11,409 flight hours of which 4,589 hours were in multi-engine aircraft. The airplane seated six including the pilot's seat. The cabin was configured in "club" seating with the middle seats, located behind the pilot's seat, facing aft. The airplane was equipped with a "throw-over" control yoke. The medical examiner reported that the pilot was sitting in the left front pilot's seat, and two passengers were sitting in the second row of seats facing aft, and the other passenger was sitting in the third row of seats facing forward. Due to impact forces, the autopsies and toxicological examinations provided limited medical information.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The steep nose down descent from cruise for undetermined reasons and the subsequent collision with terrain in a steep nose down attitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/4/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 920 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Niles |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49120 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415619N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0861326W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 920 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 135 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BEH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 643 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.34 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20085 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 4 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 28 2006 1:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-South Bend, IN FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N12AZ |
| NTSB Number | CHI05FA063 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | BE-58 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | TH-53 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Nov 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 36 |
| Airframe Hours | 3766 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Beech Leasing LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 428 Ridge Court |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kohler |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 53044 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SBM |
| Departure City | Sheboygan |
| Departure State | WI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 738 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | I68 |
| Destination City | Lebanon |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 9 2008 9:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |