Beechcraft A36 N7285R

Summary

On 14 December 1992 at about 01:20 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N7285R, operated by Wilee Corporation, was involved in an accident near Aberdeen, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 December 1992 at 01:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Aberdeen, Washington, United States

Coordinates

46.8808, -123.9892

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N7285R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Wilee Corporation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Silverdale → Ocean Shores

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA93FA039

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE, AND AN INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. FACTORS INCLUDE WEATHER BELOW APPROACH MINIMUMS, FOG, DRIZZLE, AND A DARK NIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS ON THE FINAL APPROACH SEGMENT OF A VOR/DME APPROACH, WAS SEEN JUST BELOW THE CLOUDS, AND LESS THAN 100 FEET ABOVE THE TREES ABOUT ONE TO TWO MILES BEFORE THE IMPACT POINT. THE CEILING AROUND THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 270 FEET LOWER THAN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) FOR THE APPROACH. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT IT WAS A DARK NIGHT, AND THAT DRIZZLE AND FOG WERE BEING BLOWN THROUGH THE HILLS IN THE AREA OF THE IMPACT. WITNESSES WHO SAW THE AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH SAID THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDS APPEARED NORMAL AND STEADY, AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING NEARLY WINGS LEVEL. THE PILOT HAD TOLD THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER THAT HE INTENDED TO BREAK OUT ON THIS APPROACH, AND THEN PROCEED TO A NEARBY AIRPORT WHICH DID NOT HAVE A PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT PROCEDURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.