Leesburg, FL, USA
N634Q
Beech K35
The airline transport certificated pilot was flying low over houses near the airport, and climbed to about 200 feet above ground level to enter the airport's landing pattern. According to a pilot rated passenger, the pilot was going to overshoot the final approach course, and at a very low altitude, the pilot rolled the airplane into a steep bank right turn to intercept the final approach course. The passenger said the airplane entered an accelerated maneuver stall, and that the pilot-rated right front seat passenger pushed the control yoke forward, and attempted to level the wings. He said he believed that action broke the stall, but they were too low to recover, and in a shallow banked skidding turn, when the airplane struck the ground, and cart-wheeled. The passenger said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and none were discovered during the postaccident inspection by the NTSB IIC.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 14, 2005, about 1609 eastern standard time, a Beech K35 airplane, N634Q, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain during the final approach to the Flying Baron Estates Airport, Leesburg, Florida. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries, a second passenger received serious injuries, and a third passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Kissimmee Gateway Airport, Orlando, Florida, about 1500. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on February 15, the rear seat passenger, who was an aerobatic flight instructor, said they were returning from a short cross-country and flying low over a neighborhood near the airport. He said as they neared the airport the pilot climbed the airplane to about 200 feet above ground level, and entered a right traffic pattern for runway 11. He said the pilot lowered the landing gear, and banked sharply to the right toward the runway. The passenger said they were going to overshoot the end of the runway and the pilot tightened up the turn. He said the airplane entered an accelerated maneuver stall, and the pilot rated passenger in the right front seat pushed the control yoke forward to "break the stall." He said he believed the airplane came out of the stall, but they were too low to recover, and the airplane impacted the ground, skidding and tumbling across the inbound course of the runway. INJURIES TO PERSONS The pilot and front right seat passenger received fatal injuries. The rear left seat passenger received serious injuries, and the rear right seat passenger received minor injuries. DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT All major airframe components received substantial damage. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to FAA documents the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. No pilot logbooks were discovered for examination. According to his most recent FAA application for a medical certificate dated October 16, 2003, the pilot had accumulated about 6,800 hours of total flying experience. The pilot was issued a second class FAA Medical Certificate on October 16, 2003. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION There was no current registration for the airplane. The previous owner of the airplane stated that he sold the airplane to the accident pilot 3-4 years prior to the accident, and was not aware the registration had not been changed. No engine, propeller, or airframe logbooks were discovered for examination, and the airplane's tachometer was electronic, and could not be read. The maintenance history and total service time for the engine and airframe are unknown. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The on-site investigation began on February 15. Accompanying the NTSB IIC were an FAA aviation safety inspector, and a representative from the airplane's engine manufacturer. The airplane impacted on a relatively flat, unobstructed, grass-covered area, about 210 feet short, and to the right of the approach end of runway 11. The energy/wreckage path was directed about 070 degrees magnetic, and was about 156 feet long. All of the major airframe components, flight control surfaces, and engine, were located at the accident site. From the initial point of contact there was about 35 feet of intermittent ground contact. A piece of red glass, from the airplane's left wing navigation light, was found in one of the intermittent ground scars. From the end of the intermittent scar was a full contact ground scar. Located about 70 feet from the initial point of contact was the airplane's two-bladed propeller and spinner. Both propeller blades exhibited S-bending, torsional twisting, and leading edge scarring/gouging. The propeller had fractured and separated from the engine at the crankshaft flange. The ground scar continued across a taxiway, and into a wooden rail fence, where the airplane came to rest. Numerous small pieces of the fuselage, window Plexiglas, and both the left flap and aileron, were shed along the wreckage path. The last three feet of the tail cone and empennage were separated from the airplane. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage, and the outboard section of the leading edge was crushed aft. The right landing gear was in the down and locked position. The engine was separated from the airplane and all the components forward of the firewall were crushed aft and to the left. The left wing's entire leading edge was crushed aft. It was also crushed from the wingtip inboard toward the fuselage, and almost severed at the main landing gear well. Control continuity was established for all the flight controls. The landing gear were in the down position, and according to the flap jackscrew position, the flaps were retracted. The left wing fuel tank was breached, but a useable amount of fuel remained in the right wing tank. The engine was examined on-site by a representative of the engine manufacturer under the direction of the NTSB IIC, and no preaccident mechanical anomalies were found. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION A postmortem examination of the pilot was performed under the authority of the Florida State Medical Examiner, District 5, 809 Pine street, Leesburg, Florida, on February 15, 2005. The examination of the pilot revealed the cause of death was blunt force torso injuries. Tissue samples were sent to the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for toxicological examination. Quinine was detected in the urine, and Naproxen was detected in the blood and urine. Both are available in over the counter medications. A review of available FAA medical records, autopsy, and toxicological results, did not disclose any evidence of any preimpact incapacitating medical conditions. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION No pieces or parts of the airplane were taken or retained by the NTSB.
An abrupt maneuver performed by the pilot at a low altitude, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which precipitated an inadvertent stall and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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