Accident Beechcraft 58 Baron N348U, Friday 17 February 1989
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Date:Friday 17 February 1989
Time:17:55
Type:Silhouette image of generic BE58 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beechcraft 58 Baron
Owner/operator:Air Exchange
Registration: N348U
MSN: TH-677
Year of manufacture:1975
Total airframe hrs:5336 hours
Engine model:Continental IO-520-C
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Hamburg, AR -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Ruston, LA (RSN)
Destination airport:Monroe, LA (MLU)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE HOME airport FOR THE ACFT WAS AT MONROE, LA. THE COMPANY PLT (PIC) & ANOTHER PLT (CP) TOOK THE ACFT WITHOUT COMPANY AUTHORIZATION. THEY FLEW TO RUSTON, LA (APRX 30 MI WEST OF MONROE) & PURCHASED FUEL, ALTHOUGH FUEL WAS AVAILABE AT THE HOME airport AT A SOMEWHAT HIGHER PRICE. AT RUSTON, THE PIC TOLD AN ACQUAINTANCE THAT HE WOULD BE RTRNG TO MONROE IN A 'ROUND ABOUT FASHION.' AT 1650 CST, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO DEPART RUSTON IN A NORTHEASTERLY DRCTN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED APRX 60 MI NORTHEAST OF RUSTON (37 MI NORTH-NORTHEAST OF MONROE). AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED ON A NORTHWESTERLY HDG. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED IN EXCESS OF 300 FT ON HEAVILY WOODED TERRAIN. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENGS WAS FOUND. WX IN THE AREA WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 500 FT OVERCAST, VIS 2 MI WITH FOG & LIGHT DRIZZLE. THE ACDNT WAS ESTIMATED TO HAVE OCCURRED AT APRX 1755 CST. OFFICIAL SUNSET AT THE ACDNT SITE WAS 1754 CST. CAUSE: THE PILOT CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WOODED TERRAIN. WEATHER CONDITIONS, LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS AT OR NEAR DUSK, LACK OF VISUAL CUES (VISUAL PERCEPTION) BY THE PILOT, AND TREES WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: MKC89FA061
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X27779

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:22 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]

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