Beechcraft B36TC N4245D

Summary

On 11 November 2013 at about 06:56 local time, a Beechcraft B36TC registered N4245D, operated by William M. Capt, was involved in an accident near Amarillo, Texas, 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

11 November 2013 at 06:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Amarillo, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Amarillo International Airport (AMA)

Coordinates

35.2506, -101.6758

Aircraft

Beechcraft B36TC

Registration

N4245D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1999

Engines

1

Operator

William M. Capt

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lubbock → Amarillo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN14FA047

3 people died.

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s improper decision to fly a night instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and loss of control of the airplane during an attempted missed approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated private pilot filed an instrument flight plan to an airport that was reporting night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which included ¼-mile visibility, fog, sky obscuration, and 100-foot vertical visibility. Radar track data showed that, upon arrival at the airport, the pilot flew the instrument lighting system approach and then attempted to execute a missed approach. During the missed approach, radar contact was lost and the airplane impacted the terrain. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's toxicology report indicated that gabapentin and duloxetine were found in the pilot's system, and both are disqualifying drugs for flight. The pilot did not report either of these disqualifying medications on his last medical certification examination. While both medications are sedating, a witness reported that the pilot was alert and energetic before the flight and showed no signs of sedation. Witness reports and findings from the wreckage examination are consistent with a loss of control event, and, based on the degraded visual reference conditions present about the time of the accident, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation. Although it could not be determined what effect the use of the medications had on the pilot's performance during the high-workload IMC flight, their use could increase the chance of experiencing and responding inappropriately to spatial disorientation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.