Beechcraft 95-B55 N47SM

Summary

On 28 January 1997 at about 03:10 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 registered N47SM was involved in an accident near Mayhill, New Mexico, 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

28 January 1997 at 03:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Mayhill, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

32.8792, -105.4696

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55

Registration

N47SM

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Goodyear → Roswell

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW97FA092

3 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees and terrain. Factors were the mountainous terrain, the snow obscuring the visibility, the dark night illumination, and the pilot's fatigue.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The outboard portion of the right wing of the twin engine airplane impacted a pine tree in mountainous terrain during a night cross country flight. About 12 minutes prior to the accident, while 49 miles short of their intermediate destination, the pilot reported picking up ice at 9,500 feet MSL and reported that he was diverting to El Paso. ATC granted the frequency change to El Paso; however, no further radio calls were received. At 2005, a witness near the accident site, reported hearing the airplane flying at 'tree top level over his house' on a southeast direction. He stated that a low ceiling prevailed, the temperature was just above freezing and snow flurries restricted his visibility. Witnesses traveling on a gravel road adjacent to the accident site reported the lights of the airplane flying at tree top level prior the crash. The auxiliary fuel cell for the right engine was compromised by the initial collision with the pine tree and the 3 remaining tanks were destroyed by post-impact fire. Both fuel selectors were found in the AUX position. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operations. The pilot had accumulated 7.5 hours of flight within the last 12 hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.