Beechcraft A36 N72141

Summary

On 12 May 1998 at about 14:57 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N72141, operated by Howard L. Kidman, was involved in an accident near Davis, West Virginia, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 May 1998 at 14:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Davis, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

39.1292, -79.4601

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N72141

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Howard L. Kidman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Buffalo → Pinehurst

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD98FA054

4 people died.

The pilot's spatial disorientation, his subsequent loss of control of the airplane, and his overload of the horizontal stabilizer during a recovery attempt. Factors include the pilot's continued flight into icing conditions, his lack of airspeed control, and the lack of an AIRMET advisory from the weather briefer.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was cruising on a southerly heading at 13,000 feet, in instrument meteorological conditions, when, over a 23-second period, it turned toward the west, descended about 1,200 feet, then broke up. The last 3-point smoothed ground speed calculation for the airplane indicated 242 knots. Winds aloft were from the east, about 10 knots. The airplane's maximum operating speed was 167 knots indicated, and maximum maneuvering speed was 141 knots indicated. At the time of the accident, the airplane was in conditions conducive to icing. The airframe anti-icing system was inoperative, and it was undetermined whether the engine and pitot ice protection systems had been activated. The horizontal stabilizer and the wings exhibited markings consistent with downward overstress separation. The flight originated from Hamilton, Ontario, and stopped at Buffalo, New York, before continuing. An AIRMET, calling for icing, was in effect, but not mentioned during the Ontario weather briefing. In Buffalo, no flight service station services were requested or provided. Flight into icing conditions in the accident airplane was prohibited, and the procedure was to turn back or change altitude to escape the icing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.