Beechcraft A60 N100EK

Summary

On 21 November 1992 at about 17:35 local time, a Beechcraft A60 registered N100EK, operated by Huber, James D., was involved in an accident near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 November 1992 at 17:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.4207, -121.3698

Aircraft

Beechcraft A60

Registration

N100EK

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Huber, James D.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seattle → Pullman

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA93FA026

6 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, HIS FAILURE TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM EXCEEDING THE NEVER EXCEED SPEED (VNE), AND SUBSEQUENT EXCEEDING OF THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS (INCLUDING ICING CONDITIONS), IMPROPER AIRSPEED, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASON(S).

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE CLIMBING IN MOD ICING CONDS AFTER TAKEOFF, PLT WAS CLEARED TO 17,000'. RADAR DATA SHOWED ACFT CLIMBED AT AN INDCD AIRSPEED (IAS) OF 82 TO 123 KTS. A BEECH SAFETY INFO BOOKLET STATED THAT A MIN AIRSPEED OF 140 KTS MUST BE MAINTAINED IN ICING CONDS. CLIMBING AT REDUCED AIRSPEED WOULD HAVE INCREASED ANGLE OF ATTACK & ALLOWED ICE TO ACCUMULATE UNDER THE WINGS & AFT OF THE DE-ICING BOOTS. ACFT CLIMBED TO 13,500', DESCENDED MOMENTARILY TO 13,300', THEN CONTINUED CLIMBING AS AIRSPEED DECREASED ABRUPTLY. AFTER SLOWING TO 60 KTS IAS AT 13,700', THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENDING TURN & ACCELERATED TO HIGH SPEED (ABOVE VNE). AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED, STATING THE AIRCRAFT 'LOST AN ENGINE.' SOON THERE- AFTER, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST & THE ACFT CRASHED. PIECES OF EMPENNAGE SURFACES SEPARATED IN FLIGHT & WERE FOUND AT REMOTE LOCATION FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. BOTH COUNTERWEIGHTS SEPARATED FROM THE ELEVATORS. POST-CRASH TESTS DISCLOSED NO MECHANICAL EVIDENCE OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION. LOW CEILING, FOG, LIGHT RAIN, SNOW & ICING CONDITIONS WERE RPRTD IN AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.