20050215005659A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Beech 95 · St Helena, CA · February 15, 2005

Date: February 15, 2005 · 11:22 local
Place: St Helena, CA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8269D
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX05FA099
Reported as: Beech 95
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N8269DRegistration cancelled May 14, 2013 · Beech 95S/N TD-59 · Built 1958 Airframe modelBeech 95 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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) Operator departed oroville, CA (ove) for charles m. schulz, sonoma county airport (sts) via VFR flight rules. Radar contact and voice communication was lost in the vicinity of Mt. St. Helena after normal approach acknowledged aircraft was beginning descent, subsequent calls to aircraft with no response. Weather reports were overcast with intermediate layers. Aircraft wreckage was discovered 2-17-2005 by law enforcement helicopter at approx. 3300' level on the west side of Mt. St. Helena, near st. Helena, CA 15 miles east of sonoma county airport. Wreckage photos indicate a complete hull compromise and propeller damage indicates engines were developing substantial power at impact.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) OPERATOR DEPARTED OROVILLE, CA (OVE) FOR CHARLES M. SCHULZ, SONOMA COUNTY AIRPORT (STS) VIA VFR FLIGHT RULES. RADAR CONTACT AND VOICE COMMUNICATION WAS LOST IN THE VICINITY OF MT. ST. HELENA AFTER NORMAL APPROACH ACKNOWLEDGED AIRCRAFT WAS BEGINNING DESCENT, SUBSEQUENT CALLS TO AIRCRAFT WITH NO RESPONSE. WEATHER REPORTS WERE OVERCAST WITH INTERMEDIATE LAYERS. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS DISCOVERED 2-17-2005 BY LAW ENFORCEMENT HELICOPTER AT APPROX. 3300' LEVEL ON THE WEST SIDE OF MT. ST. HELENA, NEAR ST. HELENA, CA 15 MILES EAST OF SONOMA COUNTY AIRPORT. WRECKAGE PHOTOS INDICATE A COMPLETE HULL COMPROMISE AND PROPELLER DAMAGE INDICATES ENGINES WERE DEVELOPING SUBSTANTIAL POWER AT IMPACT.

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 LAX05FA099Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCalistoga, CAThe pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions at an altitude insufficient to ensure adequate terrain clearance and impact with rising terrain.Feb 15, 2005 · Destroyed