Beechcraft F35 N3889B

Summary

On 21 October 2004 at about 19:04 local time, a Beechcraft F35 registered N3889B was involved in an accident near Chester, Arkansas, 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

21 October 2004 at 19:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Chester, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

35.6833, -94.2503

Aircraft

Beechcraft F35

Registration

N3889B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tunica → Stillwater

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN05FA012

2 people died.

the pilot's inadequate planning/decision which resulted in VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to follow the briefing recommendation, fog, mist, and observation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a cross-country flight, the non-instrument rated private pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions, and the airplane was destroyed after impacting the terrain in a nose low attitude. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing and the briefer informed the pilot that a VFR flight was not recommended. Personnel located at the departure airport stated prior to the flight, the pilot and passenger seemed tired and anixous to get home. Radar data depicted the airplane traveling in a west-northwesterly direction, then, approximately 4 minutes prior to the accident, the airplane executed a series of 360-degree turns. A witness located 1/4 mile from the accident site, reported misty and foggy weather conditions and visibility approximately 200 feet. The airplane came to rest on a rocky, open, 20-degree sloping hillside, and there were no ground scars noted except for the scars beneath the main wreckage. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.