20020411017189A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Beech G35 · Willows, CA · April 11, 2002

Date: April 11, 2002 · 10:00 local
Place: Willows, CA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N4487D
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX02FA134
Reported as: Beech G35
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N4487DRegistration cancelled Sep 5, 2002 · Beech G35S/N D-4612 · Built 1956 Airframe modelBeech G35 Engine modelContinental E225 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured when the aircraft broke up in flight 4 miles west of Willows CA. The flight originated from red bluff area at approximately 0930 local time. The flight was conducted under CFR part 91, in VFR weather conditions. According to witnesses, the aircraft was seen approaching the thunderhill park area from the southwest at approximately 1500 feet AGL and at "faster than usual" rate of speed. The airplane "banked sharply" and began to circle the park. Shortly thereafter, a witness stated "the tail of the airplane began to shake violently up and down several times." One witness heard a "loud pop" just prior to seeing the tail separate from the aircraft. The aircraft rolled over, the left wing and engine separated, and the aircraft spiraled to the ground ejecting the passenger, ending upside down in a hay field.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BROKE UP IN FLIGHT 4 MILES WEST OF WILLOWS CA. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM RED BLUFF AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 LOCAL TIME. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER CFR PART 91, IN VFR WEATHER CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN APPROACHING THE THUNDERHILL PARK AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET AGL AND AT "FASTER THAN USUAL" RATE OF SPEED. THE AIRPLANE "BANKED SHARPLY" AND BEGAN TO CIRCLE THE PARK. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A WITNESS STATED "THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN SEVERAL TIMES." ONE WITNESS HEARD A "LOUD POP" JUST PRIOR TO SEEING THE TAIL SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER, THE LEFT WING AND ENGINE SEPARATED, AND THE AIRCRAFT SPIRALED TO THE GROUND EJECTING THE PASSENGER, ENDING UPSIDE DOWN IN A HAY FIELD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX02FA134Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportWillows, CAthe pilot's entry into an abrupt maneuver at an excessive airspeed beyond Va, which resulted in exceeding the aircraft's design stress limits.Apr 11, 2002 · Destroyed

Other reports on N4487D · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19830925067309IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Corona, CAAborted takeoff due to partial power. Engine surged on taxiing. Airplane struck a hanger. Throttle bolt was missingSep 25, 1983 · Minor damage