Beech 95 B55 (T42A) accident near Saltville, VA
On May 18, 2015, a Beech 95 B55 (T42A) (airplane) was involved in an accident near Saltville, VA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 18, 2015
- Place
- Saltville, VA
- Aircraft
- Beech 95 B55 (T42A) · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.939°N, 81.767°W
- NTSB ID
- 20150519X32600
Official records · ERA15FA215
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 18, 2015, at 1238 eastern daylight time, a Beech 95-B55 (T42A), N5816S, was destroyed during a collision with terrain near Saltville, Virginia. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane departed Spruce Creek Airport (7FL6), Daytona Beach, Florida, about 0920, and was destined for Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport (MFD), Mansfield, Ohio. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that at 1214:05, the airplane was in cruise flight at an altitude about 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when the pilot contacted Tri-Cities approach control (TRI), and the controller issued the altimeter setting. At 1220:02, the controller asked the pilot his on-course heading, and the pilot responded "356 degrees." The controller advised the pilot of "areas of weather, ah 12 o'clock and ah about four zero miles, just scattered areas, type and intensity unknown." The pilot stated he would "like to deviate east if we could," and the controller approved deviations left and right as necessary, and to maintain 9,000 feet. At 1232:16, the TRI controller switched the pilot to the Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZID) and the pilot acknowledged. The pilot never contacted ZID, and there were no further communications between the accident airplane and air traffic control. Radar data depicted an easterly deviation off co
Probable cause
The pilot’s flight into developing rain showers and updrafts, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s continued flight into forecast adverse weather conditions, and his reliance on weather technologies with known limitations and processing delays.
More accidents in VA
- Boeing 757-200, Sep 11, 2001
- Beech B99, Sep 23, 1985
- Beech 65, Sep 10, 1995
- Beech 200, Oct 24, 2004
- Piper PA-31-310, Nov 14, 1982
Browse: Virginia · 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.
