Beechcraft E-90 N75CF

Summary

On 20 December 1999 at about 01:35 local time, a Beechcraft E-90 registered N75CF was involved in an accident near Beaufort, South Carolina, 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

20 December 1999 at 01:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaufort, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

32.3305, -80.6805

Aircraft

Beechcraft E-90

Registration

N75CF

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hilton Head → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA00FA056

1 person died.

The pilot-in-commands failure to maintain the appropriate altitude (minimum descent altitude) during an area surveillance radar (ASR) approach, resulting in an in-flight collision with swampy terrain. Contributing to the accident was the co-pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout during the ASR approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The PIC was cleared for an ASR approach to the destination airport. The co-pilot was looking outside to obtain a visual reference on the destination airport. They broke out of the clouds at about 900 feet, and were descending at about 480 feet per minute. The ceiling was overcast, ragged, and very dark with no visible horizon. The co-pilot looked back inside the cockpit to check the radios when he heard a thump. The PIC had continued the descent below the minimum descent altitude, the airplane collided with the marsh and crashed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.