Beechcraft E90 N300SP

Summary

On 31 January 1996 at about 20:05 local time, a Beechcraft E90 registered N300SP was involved in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 January 1996 at 20:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Flagstaff, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG)

Coordinates

35.2309, -111.7204

Aircraft

Beechcraft E90

Registration

N300SP

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA105

3 people died.

failure of the pilot to follow prescribed IFR procedures and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions with icing and turbulence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and 2 nurses departed IFR to transport a patient from another location. During the initial climb, the pilot observed a gear unsafe light. He requested clearance to an area of VFR conditions to address the gear problem. Subsequently, the gear was manually extended with safe gear indications. The flight department requested that the pilot return to base. The pilot obtained an IFR clearance to return for an ILS approach. After handoff to the tower, he was requested to report the FAF inbound after an eastbound procedure turn. That was the last communication from the pilot. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed on the southeast side of Humphreys Peak at an elevation of about 10,500 feet and about 10 miles west of the final approach course. Wreckage was scattered along a heading of 230 degrees. There was evidence that the airplane was in a steep descent when it crashed. Radar data revealed an outbound track west of the published course and no procedure turn. The weather was IMC with light snow and rain. Moderate to severe turbulence was forecast and confirmed by other pilots. The winds at 10,000 feet were forecast to be 50 knots out of the southwest. Moderate turbulence and light rime ice had been reported along the ILS approach course before to the accident time.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.