Beech D55 accident near Kingsburg, CA
On August 17, 1995, a Beech D55 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Kingsburg, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 17, 1995
- Place
- Kingsburg, CA
- Aircraft
- Beech D55 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.480°N, 119.499°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X04271
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 17, 1995, at 1314 hours Pacific daylight time, a Beech D55, N4884J, collided with level terrain near Kingsburg, California, after an in-flight loss of control. The airplane was operated by the pilot/owner and was engaged in a multiengine add-on class rating practical flight test when the accident occurred. The airplane was destroyed by impact. The certificated private pilot and designated pilot examiner (DPE) were fatally injured. The flight originated in Visalia, California, at 1308 hours. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The day before the accident the pilot/owner had failed the practical flight test for a multiengine class rating. The purpose of the accident flight was to retest the pilot on the failed portion of the previous flight test. According to the accident pilot's instructor, the pilot failed to maintain altitude during a simulated engine failure while flying a practice instrument approach under simulated instrument conditions. The flight instructor administered 1.5 hours of remedial flight instruction on the day of the initial failure and endorsed the pilot's logbook indicating he was competent to pass the practical flight test. The flight instructor further indicated to the Safety Board that the DPE intended for the pilot to demonstrate the Visalia VOR runway 12 approach under simulated single-engine failure conditions. Witnesses reported seeing the accident airplane descend uncontrolled in a flat spin. The airplane came to rest in a harvested alfalfa field northwest of the Visalia VOR and north of the outbound
Probable cause
the failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient airspeed during a simulated engine failure to avoid an inadvertent stall/spin, and inadequate supervision by the designated pilot examiner. A factor in the accident was the decision of the examiner to use an airplane without dual flight controls during a multiengine airplane flight test.
More accidents in CA
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Browse: California · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
