Beech C35 accident near Chambers, AZ
On June 30, 2002, a Beech C35 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Chambers, AZ. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 30, 2002
- Place
- Chambers, AZ
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.873°N, 109.328°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020715X01133
Official records · LAX02FA210
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 29, 2002, about 2124 mountain standard time, a Beech C35, N5856C, experienced an uncontrolled descent and in-flight breakup following a departure from cruise flight. The accident occurred about 20 nautical miles (nm) south-southeast (153 degrees, magnetic) of Chambers, Arizona. The airplane impacted desert terrain and was destroyed. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity, and no flight plan had been filed. The nighttime personal flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from near Albuquerque, New Mexico, approximately 1 hour earlier, at an estimated time of 2022. According to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) quality assurance staff at the Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the pilot had requested, and was receiving, visual flight rules (VFR) radar flight following service for his flight to Buckeye, Arizona. The airplane was initially radar identified about 9 nm southwest of the Double Eagle II (uncontrolled) Airport, near Albuquerque. At the time, the airplane was climbing through 8,400 feet. The pilot informed the radar controller that he intended to climb to 10,500 feet. The radar track indicated that the airplane proceeded in a westerly direction while climbing between 10,900 and 11,000 feet, as indicated by the airplane's altitude reporting (Mode C) transponder. At no time during the flight did the pilot indicate he was experiencing any difficulties or request assistance. The last communication
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of airplane control after falling asleep due to fatigue, which resulted in a structural failure of the airframe during a high speed descent after the design stress limits of the aircraft were exceeded.
More accidents in AZ
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Browse: Arizona · 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.
