Beechcraft 58 N9253A

Summary

On 7 July 1989 at about 16:12 local time, a Beechcraft 58 registered N9253A was involved in an accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 July 1989 at 16:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Battle Creek, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

W K Kellog (BTL)

Coordinates

42.2897, -85.2201

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58

Registration

N9253A

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Newburgh

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI89FA128

3 people died.

THE FLIGHT CREW INADVERTENTLY SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AFTER THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE COPILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE MANEUVERING THE AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR (PROBABLY) BY THE COPILOT AND IMPROPER MONITORING BY THE OTHER PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE RIGHT ENGINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, ONE OF THE CREW MEMBERS REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER & THAT THEY WOULD RETURN FOR A LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO CIRCLE TO THE LEFT WITH THE RIGHT PROP FEATHERED. DURING THE TURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED & CRASHED IN A SWAMPY AREA THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY TREES. A POST IMPACT FIRE ERUPTED & DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION VERIFIED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER HAD BEEN FEATHERED. THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FOUND POSITIONED BETWEEN 'OFF' & 'ON.' THE MAGNETO SWITCH FOR THE LEFT ENGINE WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION, WHILE THE MAGNETO SWITCH FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS IN THE 'BOTH' POSITION. REMNANTS OF THE THROW-OVER YOKE SHOWED THAT IT WAS POSITIONED TO THE COPILOT'S SIDE. THE COPILOT'S FLIGHT TIME IN THE BEECH 58 WAS NOT VERIFIED. BOTH ENGS WERE REMOVED & PREPARED FOR OPERATIONAL CHECKS. AFTER WATER CONTAMINATION WAS CLEANED FROM THE ENGINES, BOTH WERE STARTED & RAN SUCCESSFULLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.