Beechcraft A24R N9774L

Summary

On 26 April 2006 at about 01:11 local time, a Beechcraft A24R registered N9774L was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida, 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

26 April 2006 at 01:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Okeechobee, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.4725, -81.0714

Aircraft

Beechcraft A24R

Registration

N9774L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wauchula → Fort Pierce

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA06FA098

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control as a result of spatial disorientation and an in-flight break up. Contributing to the accident were the dark night and thunderstorms.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated private pilot was making a night cross country flight. Radar data indicated that the airplane departed, turned on course and maintained heading for about 24 minutes. The airplane then began to turn left and rapidly descend. The last radar hit placed the airplane less than 1 mile from the accident site. Examination of the wreckage indicated the airplane broke up in flight at a low altitude; the outboard wing panels and the left half of the horizontal stabilator were found about 1,000 feet from the main wreckage. All separations displayed signatures indicative of overload. The accident occurred at night with no illumination from the moon, which was more than 15 degrees below the horizon. Satellite infrared images depicted a broken cloud layer over the accident site with cloud tops near 13,000 feet. Weather radar images showed that the accident site bordered an area of VIP Level 2 moderate intensity echoes with echo tops near 13,000 feet. This area of echoes was associated with a decaying cumulonimbus cloud (thunderstorm). The proximity of the echoes to the accident site suggests the potential for moderate intensity convectively induced turbulence. It is likely that the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions or at least lost all visual reference, became disoriented and lost control of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.