Accident Beechcraft 58P Baron N181AM,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 134884
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Monday 22 December 2003
Time:20:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic B58T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beechcraft 58P Baron
Owner/operator:U.S. Forest Service
Registration: N181AM
MSN: TJ-181
Year of manufacture:1979
Total airframe hrs:2085 hours
Engine model:Continental TSIO-520-WB
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Missoula, MT -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Missoula-Johnson-Bell Field, MT (MSO/KMSO)
Destination airport:Redmond-Roberts Field, OR (RDM/KRDM)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Shortly after take off during night instrument meteorological conditions, the second pilot, who had no previous flight time in this make and model aircraft and was the flying pilot, reported that he made a right turn from runway heading at about 400 to 500 feet above ground level to intercept the outbound radial from the VOR to accomplish the departure procedure. During the turn, a "thump" was felt and the right bank angle increased from about 25 degrees to 45 degrees. While the second pilot was attempting to correct from the increased bank angle, the aircraft at some point, entered a descent. Just before ground impact to open terrain about one mile south of the runway, the pilot-in-command took control of the aircraft to level the wings. The aircraft skipped across the open terrain for several hundred yards before coming to rest on its belly. The aircraft was consumed by fire shortly thereafter. Neither pilot could explain the loss of altitude as both believed they were in a continuous climb during the event as airspeed and pitch attitude remained constant. Neither pilot could recall if they scanned the vertical speed indicator or altimeter to verify if they were indicating a climb or descent. During the post accident inspection of the aircraft, no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found and no evidence of an in flight collision with an object was noted. At the time of the accident, low freezing fog and visibility was reported.
Probable Cause: The second pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering after takeoff. Proper climb rate not verified by the flight crew, fog, freezing fog, dark night conditions and inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command were factors.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: SEA04LA029
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20031224X02087&key=1

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
21-Dec-2016 19:26 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
08-Dec-2017 20:26 ASN Update Bot Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
01-May-2022 08:36 Ron Averes Updated [Operator]
12-Nov-2022 02:47 Ron Averes Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org