Beechcraft 58 N8230V

Summary

On 31 March 2000 at about 10:25 local time, a Beechcraft 58 registered N8230V, operated by Causey Aviation Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 March 2000 at 10:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Rocky Mount, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Rocky Mount-Wilson Regn'l (RWI)

Coordinates

35.9101, -77.7299

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58

Registration

N8230V

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Causey Aviation Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chapel Hill → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA00LA125

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadvertent VFR flight into IMC conditions and the failure of the pilot to maintain altitude/clearance resulting in the in-flight collision with trees and unmarked power lines during a visual approach to the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot received a weather briefing and was advised en route, destination airport weather was unavailable. The pilot cancelled the IFR clearance after she observed runway and approach lights and also buildings to the left of the runway. She noted that the flight was high and began to descend. With the localizer frequency set, she noted the aircraft was left of course. After glancing at the Loran to confirm distance, the airplane collided with trees, power lines then the ground and came to rest about .4 nautical mile from the approach end of the runway that is equipped with a PAPI lights. The pilot reported there were no mechanical or navigational malfunctions. A sheriff deputy arriving 15 minutes after the accident reported it was, 'extremely foggy with low visibility.' The pilot did not have two-way radio communications with any person on the ground at the airport and there was no reported visibility at the airport at the time of the accident contrary to procedures specified in the operator's Operations Specifications. The uncommisioned ASOS on the field reported the visibility at 0453 and 0553 to be 1/4 mile with fog and a vertical visibility of 100 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.