Beechcraft D95A N144PG

Summary

On 18 December 2006 at about 23:54 local time, a Beechcraft D95A registered N144PG was involved in an accident near Gilroy, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 December 2006 at 23:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Gilroy, California, United States

Coordinates

36.9939, -121.5408

Aircraft

Beechcraft D95A

Registration

N144PG

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Jose Int'l → Reid-Hillview

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07FA035

3 people died.

The certified flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane and inadequate supervision of the flight, which resulted in a stall/spin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a multi-engine instructional flight, the airplane entered a spin and descended into a wastewater treatment facility. Flight school personnel indicated that the intended flight plan was for the instructor to teach Vmc demonstrations to the private pilot undergoing instruction (PUI) and the passenger. During a Vmc demonstration, power is reduced on the critical engine (left) and the airplane is recovered prior to loss of directional control or stall. Radar data indicated that the flight departed and flew in a south-southeasterly direction. The airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 4,400 feet mean sea level and showed a decrease in true airspeed, prior to disappearing from radar. Post accident examination revealed that the left engine was producing no to low power at the time of impact and the right engine was producing mid to high power, consistent with a Vmc demonstration. Examination of the engines and propellers revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure, and control continuity was obtained. The PUI had accrued 2.7 hours in multi-engine airplanes at the time of the accident and the passenger had accrued 8.3 hours in multi-engine airplanes. Performance calculations using the airplane's presumed radar track showed that during the last portion of the flight, the calibrated airspeed decreased to 110 knots and the rate of descent was 400 feet per minute, and the track showed a turn to the left, prior to dropping off of radar. The calibrated airspeed of 110 knots is greater than the Vmc speed of 69.5 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.