# Accident 20101129053159A: Beech A36, Theodore, AL, November 29, 2010 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 29, 2010, 18:50 local time - Place: Theodore, AL - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.5558° N, 88.2978° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5558&lon=-88.2978&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1860P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1860P-2013-08-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH A36 - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 164 total, 28 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11FA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA074) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101129053159A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010, AT 1845 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BEECH A36, N1860P, REGISTERED TO B2 AIR LLC, OPERATING AS A 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF THEODORE, ALABAMA, IN LEE ROY HILL PASTURE. MARGINAL VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS KILLED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM ST ELMO AIRPORT (2R5) ST ELMO, ALABAMA AT ABOUT 1837.ACCORDING TO MOBILE APPROACH CONTROL, THE PILOT CONTACTED THEM AT ABOUT 1842 AND HE STATED THE WEATHER WAS LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED AND HE REQUESTED AN INSTRUMENT (IFR) CLEARANCE WITH AN RNAV APPROACH BACK TO RUNWAY 6 AT 2R5. THE PILOT WAS ISSUED A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE, CLEARED TO 2,000 FEET AND RADAR IDENTIFIED AT 1843. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED UPON REACHING 2,000 FEET TO PROCEED DIRECT TO OTUWI, WHICH IS THE INTERMEDIATE FIX FOR THE APPROACH. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLEARANCE AT 1844. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PILOT AND THE CONTROLLER. A REVIEW OF RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 800 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL AT 1842:11, AND DESCENDING IN A RIGHT TURN TO 700 FEET. AT 1844:01, THE AIRPLANE WAS 1,000 FEET IN A RIGHT TURN. AT 1844:21, THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 1,100 FEET AND STARTED A LEFT DESCENDING TURN DOWN TO 700 FEET AT 1844:32. THE MOBILE REGIONAL AIRPORT (MOB), MOBILE, ALABAMA, LOCATED 13.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, 1856 AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM (ASOS), AUGMENTED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER OBSERVERS, WAS MARGINAL VISUAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS DURING THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH CEILINGS VARYING FROM 800 TO 1200 FEET. THE WINDS WERE 170 DEGREES TRUE AT 10 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 MILES, CEILING BROKEN AT 1,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, TEMPERATURE 23 DEGREES CELSIUS, DEW POINT TEMPERATURE 21 DEGREES CELSIUS AND ALTIMETER 29.96 INCHES OF MERCURY. REVIEW OF THE U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY SUN AND MOON DATA REVEALED THAT OFFICIAL SUNSET WAS AT 1651 AND THE END OF CIVIL TWILIGHT WAS AT 1717. THE SUN AND THE MOON WERE MORE THAN 15 DEGREES BELOW THE HORIZON AND PROVIDED NO ILLUMINATION.COMMUNICATION WITH THE DIRECT USERS ACCESS TERMINAL PERSONNEL AND LOCKHEED MARTIN REVEALED THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN OR OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.THE PILOT AGE 37, HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ISSUED ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010, WITH RATINGS FOR AIRPLANE SINGLE-ENGINE LAND, AND INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE. THE PILOT'S LAST INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY CHECK AND LAST FLIGHT REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED 164.2 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS OF WHICH 27.7 HOURS WERE IN THE BEECH A36. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED 4.1 HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE LAST RECORDED NIGHT FLIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WAS ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2009. THE PILOT HAD NOT LOGGED ANY PREVIOUS NIGHT FLIGHTS IN THE BEECH A36. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 4.5 HOURS OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME OF WHICH 1 HOUR WAS AS PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC). THE PILOT'S LAST INSTRUMENT FLIGHT WAS ON OCTOBER 24, 2010, IN A CESSNA 172. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED .3 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME IN THE BEECH A36 AS PIC.ACCORDING TO THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE, THE AIRPLANE WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL ON NOVEMBER 27, 2010, WHILE AT TARA FIELD LOCATED NEAR ATLANTA, GEORGIA. THE REGISTERED OWNER AND HIS WIFE RETURNED BACK TO 2R5 AND PARKED THE AIRPLANE IN THE HANGER. THE AIRPLANE HAD 90 GALLONS OF 100 LOW LEAD FUEL ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE WHEN THE ACCIDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON THE FLIGHT TO OBTAIN HIS NIGHT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS.A WITNESS WHO IS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH WITH THE STROBES LIGHTS ON. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING BELOW A CLOUD LAYER ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 500 TO 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND IT WAS VERY DARK WITH NO AMBIENT LIGHT. THE AIRPLANE FLEW OVER HIS HOUSE AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING ABOUT 60 TO 70 PERCENT POWER. THE AIRPLA ## 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 ERA11FA074](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA074), Nov 30, 2010: Beech A36 (N1860P), Theodore, AL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at night in deteriorating weather conditions due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to… 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.