Beechcraft H35 N5455D

Summary

On 7 June 2006 at about 22:05 local time, a Beechcraft H35 registered N5455D was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, 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

7 June 2006 at 22:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Reno, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

39.4489, -119.7811

Aircraft

Beechcraft H35

Registration

N5455D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reno → Corona

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX06FA197

2 people died.

Loss of engine power during takeoff initial climb for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with a house. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The engine lost power during takeoff and the airplane collided with a house while returning to the airport. A certified flight instructor (CFI) and the airplane's owner (a student pilot) were onboard. The airplane climbed to 6,500 feet mean sea level after takeoff and was about 4 miles from the airport when a loss of engine power was reported. The CFI reported to air traffic control that the airplane would not be able to make it back to the airport and they were trying to find a safe place to land. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying low with the wings rocking back and forth, prior to entering a sharp left turn. The airplane then rolled to the left, nosed down, and impacted the house. Post accident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies, and the reason for the power loss was not determined. The student pilot's toxicological report showed positive results for metabolites of cocaine; however, it was unclear if or how the student pilot's use of cocaine contributed to the accident. Although the FAA was aware that the student had a history of felony conviction for substance possession, they did not obtain records to determine the circumstances of that conviction or to determine the identification of the substance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.