ARLINGTON, TX, USA
N1026W
BEECH 95-B55
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE INTO THE EDGE OF A POND ABOUT 1/2 MILE SOUTH AND 1/4 MILE WEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 16. DARK NIGHT VMC PREVAILED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED; HE HAD LOGGED 54 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME, BUT NO ACTUAL WEATHER TIME. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUND IN THE AUXILIARY TANK POSITION. CHORD WISE WITNESS MARKS WERE NOT EVIDENT ON ANY OF THE PROPELLER BLADES, WHICH IMPACTED IN MUD AND SHALLOW WATER. BOTH ENGINES WERE FUNCTIONALLY TESTED IN A TEST CELL AND THEY OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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