Beechcraft B60 N1876L

Summary

On 30 August 2018 at about 15:30 local time, a Beechcraft B60 registered N1876L, operated by Henry Leasing Co Llc, was involved in an accident near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 August 2018 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Destin Executive Airport (KDTS)

Coordinates

30.4947, -86.5744

Aircraft

Beechcraft B60

Registration

N1876L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Operator

Henry Leasing Co Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Toledo → Destin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

Unk

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18FA358

4 people died.

The pilot's controlled flight into terrain after misidentifying the destination airport during a period of restricted visibility due to weather.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot and three passengers departed on a cross-country flight in a twin-engine airplane. As the flight neared the destination airport, the pilot canceled his instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. The approach controller transferred the flight to the tower controller, and the pilot reported to the tower controller that the airplane was about 2 miles from the airport. However, the approach controller contacted the tower controller to report that the airplane was 200 ft over a nearby joint military airport at the time. GPS data revealed that, when pilot reported that the airplane was 2 miles from the destination airport, the airplane's actual location was about 10 miles from the destination airport and 2 miles from the joint military airport. The airplane impacted a remote wooded area about 8 miles northwest of the destination airport. At the time of the accident, thunderstorm cells were in the area. A review of the weather information revealed that the pilot's view of the airport was likely obscured because the airplane was in an area of light precipitation, restricting the pilot's visibility. A review of airport information noted that the IFR approach course for the destination airport passes over the joint military airport. The Federal Aviation Administration chart supplement for the destination airport noted the airport's proximity to the other airport. However, it is likely that the pilot mistook the other airport for the destination airport due to reduced visibility because of weather. The accident circumstances were consistent with controlled flight into terrain. The ethanol detected in the pilot's blood specimens but not in his urine specimens was consistent with postmortem bacteria production. The carbon monoxide and cyanide detected in the pilot's blood specimens were consistent with inhalation after the postimpact fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.