# Accident 19990423039179A: Beech B95A, Fountain, FL, April 23, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 23, 1999, 18:00 local time - Place: Fountain, FL - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.4698° N, 85.4192° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4698&lon=-85.4192&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6600, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6600-2000-02-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech B95A (registry code 1153406, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b95a) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH B95A - Reported engine: LYC IO360B1B - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 226 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99FA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99FA140) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990423039179A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)BEFORE DEPARTURE ON A FERRY FLIGHT, BOTH PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PROPELLERS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. AN INCORRECT PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED ON THE LEFT POSITION BY A PERSON WITH A REVOKED MECHANIC'S CERTIFICATE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL TANKS, ALL GEARS BRACED DOWN, AND NO RADIOS. AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE FLYING WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE, THE PILOT MOTIONED BY HAND SIGNALS THAT HE NEEDED TO LAND. THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD WITH NO FLAPS AND AFTER ROLLING APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET, THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, THEN COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS FEATHERED. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL VENT SYSTEM REVEALED ALL RECOVERED FUEL VENTS WERE BLOCKED; AN INSECT RESEMBLING A WASP WAS FOUND IN A SECTION OF THE LEFT FUEL VENT LINE. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINES, AND PROPELLERS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE NO. 1 TOP SPARK PLUG OF THE LEFT ENGINE WAS MISSING. THE PILOT'S AIRMAN CERTIFICATE WAS SUSPENDED FOR 180 DAYS IN FEBRUARY 1996, FOR OPERATING AN AIRPLANE WITH INCORRECT PROPELLERS INSTALLED. THE PERMANENT MAINTENANCE RECORDS DID NOT CONTAIN AN ENTRY THAT THE AIRPLANE W AS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE SAFE FOR THE INTENDED FERRY FLIGHT. (.19) ON APRIL 23, 1999, ABOUT 1800 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH B95A, N6600, PURCHASED ON APRIL 9, 1999, BY U.S. AIR SALVAGE, COLLIDED WTIH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR FOUNTAIN, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 FERRY FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED BY 1734, FROM THE PANAMA CITY-BAY COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH THE LANDING GEAR BRACED DOWN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S FATHER, THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE ANY RADIOS FOR COMMUNICATION AND BOTH DEPARTED TOGETHER. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT (HIS SON) OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MOTIONED TO HIM BY VISUAL SIGNALS THAT HE NEEDED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN AN OPEN FIELD, ROLLED SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET, THEN BECAME AIRBORNE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE LEFT WING SEPARTED AS ONE SECTION, THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED INTO TWO SECTIONS, AND THE NOSE SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE WAS ALSO SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUED. (-23) THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE LANDING GEAR BRACED IN THE DOWN POSITION WAS ON A FERRY FLIGHT FROM PANAMA CITY, FL TO JOHNSON CITY TN. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SMALL FIELD, ROLLED SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET BEFORE COLLIDING WITH PINE TREES, DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WING SEPARATED AS ONE SECTION, THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED INTO TWO SECTIONS, AND THE NOSE SECTION SEPARATING AND OPENED UP TO EXPOSE THE COCKPIT AREA. INITIAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL VENT SYSTEM STOPPED UP, LEFT ENGINE #1 CYLINDER MISSING TOP SPARK PLUG, ALL TOP SPARK PLUG LEADS WERE ON HAND TIGHT, AND TWO CHAMPION LAWN AND GARDEN BATTERY WERE INSTALLED FOR THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY SYSTEM. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA99FA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99FA140), Apr 23, 1999: Beech B95A (N6600), Fountain, FL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane that resulted in a loss of engine power because of fuel vent blockage and his selection of unsuitable terrain for the forced landing. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.