Beechcraft B-90 N784K

Summary

On 8 January 1989 at about 01:35 local time, a Beechcraft B-90 registered N784K, operated by Merrill L. Walker, was involved in an accident near Paducah, Kentucky, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 January 1989 at 01:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Paducah, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Barkley Regional (PAH)

Coordinates

37.0700, -88.6310

Aircraft

Beechcraft B-90

Registration

N784K

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Merrill L. Walker

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shenandoah → Decatur

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL89LA068

1 person was seriously injured.

PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND. PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE INOPERATIVE WEATHER RADAR, THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING, AN UNDETERMINED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, DARK NIGHT, THE PILOT'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH AND VISUAL PERCEPTION, AND THE TREES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DRG A RTRN FLT AT NGT TO DECATUR, AL, THE PLT NOTED HIS WX RADAR WAS INOP. HE VISUALLY AVOIDED THUNDERSTORMS (TSTMS), WHICH HAD BEEN FORECASTED. WHILE AVOIDING TSTMS, HE NOTED A REDUCTION IN ENG POWER, A SLIGHT YAW, INDCNS OF FUEL FLOW IRREGULARITY & THAT THE LEFT & RGT BOOST PUMPS WERE INOP. THESE OCCURRED AT ABOUT THE TIME, HE SAW A WHITE ARC WHICH HE SAID HAD JUMPED FROM THE PROP, SPINNER OR NACELLE AREA TO THE ACFT'S NOSE. DUE TO THE WX, HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO PADUCAH. AFTER THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT, HE NEEDED TO LOSE ALT BEFORE LANDING & WAS CLEARED TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN. WHILE TURNING, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT, THEN ROLLED OUT ON THE WRONG HEADING & STARTED FLYING TOWARD A STROBE LIGHT AT AN INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. WHEN HE REALIZED HIS ERROR & SAW THE ARPT, HE TURNED TOWARD THE RWY; BUT AS HE WAS MANEUVERING, THE ACFT LOST ALT, HIT TREES & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE ENGS & FUEL PUMPS REVEALED NO INDCN OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE. NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF A LIGHTNING STRIKE WAS FOUND, BUT THE NOSE & ENGS WERE BADLY DAMAGED FROM IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.