Beechcraft BE-95-B55 N4005A

Summary

On 12 May 2000 at about 16:51 local time, a Beechcraft BE-95-B55 registered N4005A was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 May 2000 at 16:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Houston, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)

Coordinates

29.6493, -95.2794

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-95-B55

Registration

N4005A

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Galliano

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW00FA146

6 people died.

the loss of control on takeoff as a result of the pilot's failure to remove the flight control lock due to his inadequate preflight inspection. A contributing factor was the pilot exceeding the aircraft's certificated maximum weight and balance limitations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot did not perform an aircraft runup and proceeded to takeoff. Numerous witnesses observed the airplane pitch up to a 70 to 80-degree nose high attitude upon liftoff. The witnesses then observed the nose of the airplane momentarily pitch nose down slightly and immediately pitch nose high again. They then reported observing the airplane roll to the left and impact the ground in a nose low, left wing low attitude. Shortly after impacting the ground, a fire erupted. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the pilot had failed to remove the control lock pin from the control column. A safety alert, service instruction, and mandatory service bulletin were issued by the aircraft manufacturer, which dealt with control lock awareness and a control lock modification. The pilot/aircraft owner did not comply with the service instruction and mandatory service bulletin, nor did he have the original control lock assembly installed. A conservative weight and balance computation indicated that the pilot loaded the airplane beyond the airplane's certificated maximum gross weight and aft center of gravity limitations. An autopsy of the pilot revealed that he had suffered from an 'acute myocardial infarct' prior to the airplane impacting the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.