Beechcraft A-36 N990EC

Summary

On 25 October 1995 at about 20:15 local time, a Beechcraft A-36 registered N990EC was involved in an accident near Newport, Oregon, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 October 1995 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Newport, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.6604, -124.0097

Aircraft

Beechcraft A-36

Registration

N990EC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Portland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA96FA012

3 people were seriously injured.

the pilot's inadvertent shut-off of the fuel mixture control. Factors contributing to the accident were: the pilot's failure to perform adequate remedial action to regain engine power, his lack of familiarity with the accident airplane, and his failure to obtain/maintain a proper descent rate during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While descending to the destination airport, the airplane broke out of the clouds about 600 feet above the ground and the pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan. Immediately after descending out of the clouds, witnesses reported that the engine began to 'sputter,' then quit. They observed the airplane impact level terrain during a rapid rate of descent. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the vernier mixture control was found in the idle cutoff position, and the throttle was found in a cruise power position. The airplane also had an additional manual turbocharger vernier control, and it was found partially engaged. The pilot received serious head injuries and stated that he cannot remember the accident flight. He had logged 11 hours in the accident airplane during the 105 days preceding the date of the accident. He had not flown the accident airplane, or any other turbocharged airplane with similar cockpit controls, prior to that time. He had flown eight consecutive flights in airplanes that had dissimilar cockpit controls prior to the accident flight and subsequent to his last flight in type.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.