Beechcraft V35 N14UC

Summary

On 26 November 2019 at about 01:39 local time, a Beechcraft V35 registered N14UC was involved in an accident near Blythe, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 November 2019 at 01:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Blythe, California, United States

Coordinates

33.6853, -115.2672

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35

Registration

N14UC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tucson → Hemet

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ANC20FA005

1 person died.

A loss of control in flight due to the pilot’s decision to fly into a mountain range, at night, in conditions conducive to high wind, mountain waves, and turbulence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo private pilot was performing a personal visual flight rules cross-country flight at night in mountainous terrain. The flight entered the mountain range on a westerly course then diverted to the east due to encountering inclement weather. The air traffic controller handling the flight lost the airplane on radar and the pilot on radio communications. Several witnesses driving nearby reported that the airplane was flying close to the road at a steep angle before it impacted terrain and a postcrash fire ensued. Two witnesses added that it was dark night conditions, one reported high wind conditions, and another reported poor visibility during the time of the accident. A meteorological study of weather conditions about the time of the accident indicated the potential for reduced visibility conditions, moderate to severe turbulence, and moderate to severe mountain wave conditions. A review of weather provider data revealed that the accident pilot had not received a weather briefing before the accident flight. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot lost control of the accident airplane when the flight encountered reduced visibility, high wind, turbulence, and mountain wave conditions while flying in dark night conditions in mountainous terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.