Beechcraft D95A N4835J

Summary

On 28 August 1994 at about 01:05 local time, a Beechcraft D95A registered N4835J, operated by Diamond K. Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Oakdale, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 1994 at 01:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Oakdale, California, United States

Nearest airport

Oakdale (O27)

Coordinates

37.7999, -120.7410

Aircraft

Beechcraft D95A

Registration

N4835J

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Diamond K. Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94LA340

1 person died.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AND THE CFI'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY NOT ASSURING THAT THE MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC) WAS MAINTAINED. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE CFI'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN MULTI-ENGINE INSTRUCTIONAL TRAINING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THIS WAS THE STUDENT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN A MULTIENGINE FLIGHT TRAINING COURSE. AFTER 3 TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS AT THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE AREA, THEN RETURNED A FEW MINUTES LATER. WHEN THE CFI TRANSMITTED THEIR POSITION, A GROUND-BASED WITNESS (ALSO A MULTI-ENGINE CFI) HEARD THE SOUND OF A GEAR WARNING HORN IN THE BACKGROUND. THE WITNESS OPINED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS PRACTICING A SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCEND TO ABOUT 30' AGL AS IT OVERFLEW THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN ENTER A SHALLOW CLIMBOUT. BEFORE REACHING THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT BANK. THE BANK ANGLE GRADUALLY INCREASED UNTIL BECOMING VERTICAL, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A FIELD NEXT TO THE AIRPORT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT & RIGHT FUEL TANK SELECTORS WERE FOUND IN THE 'OFF' & 'MAIN TANK' POSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY. THE LEFT PROPELLER APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN IN THE FEATHER POSITION, THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS TWISTED & BENT. THE CFI HAD GIVEN ABOUT 8 HOURS TOTAL OF MULTIENGINE INSTRUCTION (TO ANOTHER STUDENT) DURING THE 2.5 WEEKS SINCE HAVING BEEN ISSUED A MULTIENGINE INSTRUCTOR PILOT CERTIFICATE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.