Beechcraft C24 N24030

Summary

On 8 September 2019 at about 02:50 local time, a Beechcraft C24 registered N24030, operated by California Flight Academy, was involved in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 2019 at 02:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Henderson Executive (HND)

Coordinates

35.9714, -115.1339

Aircraft

Beechcraft C24

Registration

N24030

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

California Flight Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → El Cajon

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

WPR19FA252

2 people died.

The pilot’s operation of the airplane over its maximum gross weight and outside of center of gravity limits at a high-density altitude, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering and subsequent aerodynamic stall at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the occupants’ failure to ensure the airplane’s doors were secure prior to takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed the runway and reported that a door had opened. After clearance to enter the traffic pattern and return to the airport, the airplane climbed to about 100 ft agl and struggled to gain altitude. The airplane turned left and subsequently entered a nose down left bank and impacted the terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage. As the airplane banked to the left, it likely experienced an aerodynamic stall. Postaccident examination of the propeller blades revealed that the engine was likely operating near high rpm at impact, and examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot’s operating handbook indicated an open door would slipstream and may result in buffeting and that the pilot is to fly the airplane “normally.” The occupants departed earlier the same day in the accident airplane and returned because the airplane was not being able to climb over mountains on their way to their destination. Density altitude was calculated to be 5,437 ft mean sea level at the airport. The airplane was also loaded over the maximum gross takeoff weight and exceeded the aft of the center of gravity limit for both flights. Although the airplane was able to take off, its overweight and aft of CG limit condition and the high-density altitude increased the airplane’s stall speed and degraded its climb performance, stability, and slow-flight characteristics. When the pilot turned the airplane left to return to the airport due to the reported open door, the critical angle of attack was likely exceeded and resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.