Beechcraft 50 N800DC

Summary

On 16 March 2019 at about 18:49 local time, a Beechcraft 50 registered N800DC was involved in an accident near Riverside, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 March 2019 at 18:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Riverside, California, United States

Nearest airport

Riverside Muni (RAL)

Coordinates

33.9383, -117.4864

Aircraft

Beechcraft 50

Registration

N800DC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chino → Apple Valley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19FA096

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and control of the airplane following a loss of right engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the multiengine airplane departed on a personal flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported first an electrical problem, followed by control problems, before reporting a loss of right engine power. Despite the controller providing vectors back to the departure airport multiple times, the pilot continued off course as the airplane descended from about 3,400 ft mean sea level (msl) to about 1,200 ft msl at ground speeds between 85 and 89 knots before radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted the backyard of a residence. Witnesses saw the airplane flying low before it entered a spiraling, nose-low descent that continued until impact. Examination of the airframe and both engines found no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit to the flight control surfaces, and damage to the propeller blades from both engines was consistent with some power development at the time of impact. Engine control positions for the propellers and throttles were in the mid-range and the mixtures were in the rich position indicating that the pilot did not secure an inoperative engine for single-engine fight. Based on the wreckage examination, the reason for the pilot’s reported electrical and control anomalies and the reported loss of right engine power could not be determined. The airplane’s gradual descent during the flight, followed by the nose-low spiral to ground impact, are consistent with the pilot not following single-engine procedures by adding power to maintain altitude and airspeed, securing the dead-engine, and maintaining a minimum safe single-engine speed above 90 mph (78 knots).  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.