Beechcraft 1900C N811BE

Summary

On 29 December 1991 at about 02:46 local time, a Beechcraft 1900C registered N811BE, operated by Business Express Inc., was involved in an accident near Block Island, Rhode Island, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 December 1991 at 02:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Block Island, Rhode Island, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft 1900C

Registration

N811BE

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Business Express Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bridgeport → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC92FA053

3 people died.

THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S LOSS OF ALTITUDE AWARENESS AND POSSIBLE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AT AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW FOR RECOVERY; AND COMPANY MANAGEMENT'S LACK OF INVOLVEMENT IN AND OVERSIGHT OF ITS BEECHCRAFT 1900 FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S EXERCISE OF POOR JUDGMENT IN ESTABLISHING A FLIGHT SITUATION AND AIRPLANE CONFIGURATION CONDUCIVE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION THAT AFFORDED THE PILOTS LITTLE OR NO MARGIN FOR ERROR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PREPARE TWO FIRST OFFICERS FOR A CAPTAIN UPGRADE FLIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT DISABLED THE STUDENT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR DURING FLIGHT, AND THE STUDENT HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING AIRPLANE CONTROL. DURING A SIMULATED INSTRUMENT APPROACH, WHILE IN THE PROCEDURE TURN, THE INSTRUCTOR SIMULATED AN ENGINE FAILURE IN ADDITION TO THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR FAILURE. THE STUDENT ASKED THE INSTRUCTOR TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE HE BECAME DISORIENTED, HOWEVER, THE INSTRUCTOR REFUSED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE INSTRUCTOR WOULD TURN HIS OWN FLIGHT INSTRUMENT LIGHTS TO THE 'DIM' POSITION WHEN THE STUDENT WAS FLYING SO THAT HE COULD NOT 'PEEK' AT THE OPERABLE ATTITUDE INDICATOR. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE INSTRUCTOR'S LIGHT RHEOSTAT WAS IN THE DIM POSITION. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED OVER THE OCEAN, ON A MOONLESS NIGHT. NEITHER THE OPERATOR, NOR THE FAA WERE AWARE THAT THIS INSTRUCTOR WAS USING BLOCK ISLAND FOR TRAINING, OR WHAT TRAINING METHODS HE WAS EMPLOYING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.