Beechcraft B300 N49WC

Summary

On 10 February 2015 at about 01:00 local time, a Beechcraft B300 registered N49WC, operated by West Coast Charters Inc, was involved in an accident near Mammoth Lakes, California, 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

10 February 2015 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mammoth Lakes, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mammoth Yosemite (MMH)

Coordinates

37.0000, -118.0000

Aircraft

Beechcraft B300

Registration

N49WC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1996

Engines

2

Operator

West Coast Charters Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ana → Mammoth Lakes

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR15CA110

Nobody was injured.

The airplane encountered extreme turbulence during descent.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while in a descent from 16,000 feet, at 1,500 feet per minute, slowing from 190 knots indicated airspeed to 160 knots, the airplane encountered extreme turbulence. The pilot reported one hard jolt up/down followed by about 15 seconds of light turbulence then one final hard jolt similar to the first. The weather was visual conditions and no turbulence was encountered prior to or after the event. A postflight examination of the airplane revealed that the extreme turbulence encountered resulted in substantial structural damage to both wings spars. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.