Beechcraft B200 N30EM

Summary

On 22 December 2000 at about 22:16 local time, a Beechcraft B200 registered N30EM, operated by Mountain Air Service, was involved in an accident near Rangeley, Maine, 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

22 December 2000 at 22:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Rangeley, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Rangeley Muni (8B0)

Coordinates

44.8833, -70.6389

Aircraft

Beechcraft B200

Registration

N30EM

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Mountain Air Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Portland → Rangeley

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC01FA058

2 people died.

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain sufficient altitude while maneuvering to land, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Factors in the accident were the dark night, mountainous terrain, snow showers, clouds, and the pilot's decision to cancel his IFR clearance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger departed on a night IFR flight. Weather en route was a mixture of instrument and visual meteorological conditions. When the airplane was 17 miles southwest of its destination, the pilot was cleared for an instrument approach. At 9 miles, the pilot reported the airport in sight, and canceled his IFR clearance. The airplane continued to descend towards the airport on a modified left base until radar contact was lost at 3,300 feet msl. The pilot was in radio contact with his wife just prior to the accident. He advised her that he was on base for runway 32. Neither the pilot's wife, nor ATC received a distress call from the pilot. The airplane was located the next morning about 100 feet below the top of a mountain. The accident site was 7.9 miles from the airport, and approximately 1,200 feet above the airport elevation. Ground based weather radar recorded light snow showers, in the general vicinity of the accident site about the time of the accident, and satellite imagery showed that the airplane was operating under a solid overcast. A level path was cut through the trees that preceded the main wreckage. Examination of both engines and the airframe revealed no pre impact failures or malfunctions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.