Beechcraft A100 N15L

Summary

On 15 June 2011 at about 18:05 local time, a Beechcraft A100 registered N15L, operated by Dynamic Avlease Inc, was involved in an accident near Gray, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 June 2011 at 18:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Gray, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

36.5864, -82.4767

Aircraft

Beechcraft A100

Registration

N15L

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Dynamic Avlease Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bridgewater → Wichita

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11LA344

Nobody was injured.

An encounter with convectively-induced turbulence and icing, which resulted in an in-flight upset and a loss of airplane control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was flying in instrument meteorological conditions at flight level 200 (about 20,000 feet), and a large area of thunderstorm activity was located to the northwest. About 20 miles from the thunderstorm activity, the airplane began to encounter moderate turbulence and severe icing conditions. The pilot deviated to the south; however, the turbulence increased, and the airplane entered an uncommanded left roll and dive. The autopilot disengaged, and the pilot's attitude indicator dropped. The pilot leveled the airplane at an altitude of 8,000 feet and landed without further incident. Subsequent examination revealed that one-third of the outboard left elevator separated in flight and that the empennage was substantially damaged. Meteorological and radar data revealed the airplane entered an area of rapidly intensifying convective activity, which developed along the airplane's flight path, and likely encountered convectively-induced turbulence with a high probability of significant icing. The effect of icing conditions on the initiation of the upset could not be determined; however, airframe structural icing adversely affects an airplane's performance and can result in a loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.