Beechcraft E-55 N9047V

Summary

On 30 August 2000 at about 14:54 local time, a Beechcraft E-55 registered N9047V was involved in an accident near Grafton, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 August 2000 at 14:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Grafton, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

St. Charles County Smartt (SET)

Coordinates

38.9707, -90.4191

Aircraft

Beechcraft E-55

Registration

N9047V

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Charles → Zanesville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI00FA276

2 people died.

The pilot not maintaining aircraft control and altitude/clearance from the river. Factors to the accident included the pilot not obtaining an air traffic control clearance prior to departure into instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, the low ceiling, and the mist.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During climb after takeoff the pilot became disorientated, lost aircraft control, and the airplane impacted the Mississippi River. The instrument rated pilot departed into known instrument meteorological conditions without an instrument flight rules (IFR) air traffic control (ATC) clearance. After takeoff the pilot contacted ATC to obtain an IFR clearance to his intended destination. The ATC controller instructed the pilot to make a right turn to avoid opposite direction traffic. The traffic was on an instrument approach to the airport from which the accident airplane had just departed. During the turn the accident airplane impacted the Mississippi River approximately 2.2 nm north-northeast of the departure airport. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident with a visibility of 1-1/2 statute miles and an overcast ceiling of 300 feet above ground level. No anomalies were found with the recovered portions of the airplane that could be associated with a pre-impact condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.