Accident Beechcraft D50A Twin Bonanza N102F,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35325
 
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Date:Thursday 29 October 1992
Time:11:54 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic BE50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beechcraft D50A Twin Bonanza
Owner/operator:James L. Richards
Registration: N102F
MSN: DH-173
Year of manufacture:1958
Total airframe hrs:4575 hours
Engine model:Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Ely, NV -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Jean, NV (0L7)
Destination airport:Nampa, ID (S67)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR IDAHO. EN ROUTE THEY STOPPED ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LAS VEGAS WHERE THERE WAS A DIRT LANDING STRIP. THE NEXT MORNING A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE DEPART AT ABOUT 0800 HOURS. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED NOR ANY RECORD OF EITHER A PREFLIGHT OR INFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. THE AIRPLANE NEVER ARRIVED AT THE DESTINATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED BY A NEVADA FISH AND GAME HELICOPTER ABOUT 21 DAYS AFTER IT HAD DISAPPEARED. THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN AT ABOUT 8300 FEET MSL, IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE AT GREAT SPEED. WEATHER DATA REVEALED THAT IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT THE CEILING WAS OVERCAST AT 2700 FEET AGL, WITH TOPS FROM 17000 TO 19000 FEET MSL AND SEVERE MIXED ICING WAS PRESENT ABOVE THE 9,500 FOOT MSL FREEZING LEVEL. THE AIRPLANE HAD NO DEICE OR ANTIICE EQUIPMENT, THE OXYGEN SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Probable Cause: 1) THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, WHICH INCLUDED MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT AND SEVERE MIXED ICING, AND, 2) HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO A PROBABLE AERODYNAMIC STALL INDUCED BY SEVERE AIRFRAME ICING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE FORECAST WEATHER CONDITIONS OF ICING, LOW CLOUD CEILINGS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION, AND 2) THE PILOTS FAILURE TO OBTAIN EITHER PREFLIGHT OR INFLIGHT WEATHER INFORMATION FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX93FA045
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 10 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX93FA045

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:22 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
10-Apr-2024 17:08 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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