ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35686
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| Date: | Monday 24 March 1997 |
| Time: | 20:12 LT |
| Type: |  Beechcraft V35 Bonanza |
| Owner/operator: | John S. Spriggs |
| Registration: | N9049S |
| MSN: | D-8037 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4200 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520-BA2 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Marco Island, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Marathon, FL (KMTH) |
| Punta Gorda, FL (PGD | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After departing Marathon, Florida, the aircraft began to encounter instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot received an instrument clearance, including a convective SIGMET warning, and he continued on his flight to Punta Gorda, Florida. At 1907:43, radio contact with the pilot was lost, when the airplane was over the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles southwest of Marco Island, Florida. Approximately 30 seconds later, radar contact was also lost. Reportedly, the weather in the area included extreme, intense, and very strong weather echoes. The last radar 'hit' of the airplane showed two distinct returns approximately 3/4 of a mile apart; an in-flight breakup of the airplane was presumed to have occurred. One occupant (a private pilot, who was fatally injured) and minimal airplane debris were recovered. The other 2 occupants were presumed to be fatally injured.
Probable Cause: inadvertent flight by the pilot into adverse weather conditions (severe thunderstorms), which led the design stress limits of the airplane being exceeded, subsequent in-flight break-up of the airplane, and an uncontrolled collision with water.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL97FA054
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Apr-2024 16:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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