Beechcraft BE-58 N1072D

Summary

On 15 April 2000 at about 05:03 local time, a Beechcraft BE-58 registered N1072D was involved in an accident near Palatka, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 April 2000 at 05:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Palatka, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Palatka Kay Larkin (28J)

Coordinates

29.6404, -81.6500

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-58

Registration

N1072D

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

West Palm Beach → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL00FA041

1 person died.

The pilot's physically impaired condition due to his high level of alcohol. Factors were the pilot's intentional VFR flight into IMC conditions and failure to perform a missed approach, which resulted in a collision with the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

At 0103, N1072D, collided with terrain and trees during approach to landing on runway 09, at the Kay Larkin Municipal Airport, in Palatka, Florida. The airplane had departed Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, Florida, about 2300 the previous day, and no flight plan was filed. According to a witness, on the second approach the airplane was over runway 09 moving from west to east, when the witness saw the airplane break-out of the overcast in a 30 degree bank to the right and a high descent rate. The witness told the pilot to level his wings and 'pull up, pull up'. He heard the engines go to full power, and saw the nose of the airplane raise up but the wings never leveled, and the airplanes descent rate never changed. He said he heard the crash and saw a large fire ball. Weather at the time of the accident was below instrument approach minimums and the pilot was not instrument rated. A toxicology examination of the pilot found high levels of alcohol in fluid specimens examined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.