FOREST HILL, MD, USA
N1540V
BEECH C35
GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT MANEUVERED IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE LINE UP WITH A ROAD LOCATED SOUTH OF AND ALMOST PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE MADE A DESCENT AS IF APPROACHING TO LAND, THEN CLIMBED OUT AND CIRCLED AROUND TO LINE UP WITH THE ROAD AGAIN. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP (ESTIMATED 90 DEGREES) LEFT BANK, THEN STALLED AND FELL TO THE GROUND. REVIEW OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) TAPES/TRANSCRIPTS REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED RADAR ASSISTANCE TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY 6 MINUTES BEFORE HE CRASHED, THE 69 YEAR OLD PILOT STATED 'I THINK I GOT IT NOW...AH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF CARS ON THE RUNWAY...IS THAT THE RUNWAY THERE ON MY LEFT?' ATC REPEATED RUNWAY INFORMATION, INFORMED THE PILOT HE HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CARS, AND APPROVED A FREQUENCY CHANGE.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S ABRUPT AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE TURN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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