Beechcraft H-35 N7917D

Summary

On 5 July 1994 at about 19:59 local time, a Beechcraft H-35 registered N7917D was involved in an accident near Jackson, Alabama, 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

5 July 1994 at 19:59

Classification

Accident

Location

Jackson, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

31.5300, -87.8909

Aircraft

Beechcraft H-35

Registration

N7917D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madison → Gainesville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL94FA131

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO AVOID AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE DESIGNED STRUCTURAL LIMITS OF THE AIRFRAME BEING EXCEEDED. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO AIR TRAFFIC, THE VFR ONLY PILOT RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS FORECASTED ALONG THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. WHILE ENROUTE, THE PILOT ENTERED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND REQUESTED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ASSISTANCE. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO PROVIDE THE PILOT WITH RADAR VECTORS BUT, NEVER GOT A RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT. THE PILOT'S LAST TRANSMISSION WAS, 'MAYDAY, MAYDAY, WE'RE GOING DOWN'. SECONDS LATER, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST; AN ELT SIGNAL WAS RECEIVED BY ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY OF THE LAST RADAR HIT. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A WOODED AREA 2500 FEET LONG AND 300 FEET WIDE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE PATH REVEALED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING ASSEMBLIES WERE LOCATED 600 FEET APART NORTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE MAIN WING SPAR FRACTURE REVEALED THAT THE OVERLOAD FAILURE OCCURRED IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. FLIGHT COMPONENTS FROM THE EMPENNAGE WERE LOCATED SOUTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT RUDDERVATOR ASSEMBLY DISCLOSED THAT IT SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.