Beech E90B accident near Ruidoso, NM

On August 6, 2007, a Beech E90B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ruidoso, NM. 5 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

August 6, 2007

Place

Ruidoso, NM

Aircraft

Beech E90B · Airplane

Injuries

5 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

33.459°N, 105.453°W

NTSB ID

20070815X01188

Official records · DEN07MA134

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
• Investigation page: status, final report and safety recommendations

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 5, 2007, at 2141 mountain daylight time, a Beech E90, N369CD, registered to Omni Flight Helicopters, Inc., formerly Enchantment Aviation, d/b/a Southwest MedEvac and piloted by an airline transport certificated pilot, was destroyed when it struck trees and impacted terrain while maneuvering approximately 4 miles southeast of the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport (SRR), Ruidoso, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The nonscheduled domestic passenger (air ambulance) flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed but had not been activated. The pilot, flight nurse, paramedic, patient, and patient's mother were fatally injured. The cross-country flight originated from Ruidoso approximately 2137, and was en route to Albuquerque (ABQ), New Mexico. The patient, a 15-month-old female child, had been treated for seizures at the Lincoln County Medical Center in Ruidoso. The attending physician summoned an air ambulance to transport the patient to University Hospital in Albuquerque. According to Southwest MedEvac, the airplane departed Roswell (ROW), New Mexico, approximately 2000, and arrived at SRR approximately 2030. The patient and her mother were placed aboard the airplane, and the airplane took off on runway 06. Witnesses observed the airplane make a left turn to the north and disappear. Satellite tracking detected the airplane only once, at 2137, when it was at an altitude of 6,811

Probable cause

Failure to maintain clearance from terrain due to spatial disorientation.

More accidents in NM

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• Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
• Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.