What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 23, 2017 at approximately 19:32Z (12:32 MST) a Beechcraft king air 300, U.S. Registry number N385KA was destroyed by impact and subsequent post-crash fire at the Tucson International Airport (tus). There were two persons on board the airplane, the pilot-in-command (PIC), and one passenger. Both were killed in the crash. The flight plan indicates the airplane was taking off for a flight to hermosillo, sonora, Mexico (mhmo).
A terminal security camera video, as well as physical evidence, and witness statements agree that shortly after becoming airborne from runway 11L, N385KA suddenly rolled over to the left, dove down, and struck the concrete ramp adjacent to the terminal building in a nose low inverted attitude approximately 4,300 feet from where it began its takeoff roll. Upon impact, the plane exploded, and the bulk of it slid approximately 600 feet across the ramp, and came to a stop against a concrete attenuation wall.
The reported airport weather at the time of the crash was wind from 240-degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The reported visibility was 10 statute miles, and there were overcast clouds at 6,000 feet above ground. The ambient air temperature was 19-DEG c (66-DEG f), and the dew point was 6-DEG c (43-DEG f). The local altimeter setting was 29.82?hg. This wind and runway combination would have resulted in a quartering right tailwind component of approximately 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
Tus ATC tower personnel reported no heavy aircraft departed runway 11L/29R prior to N385KA.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 23, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 19:32Z (12:32 MST) A BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 300, U.S. REGISTRY NUMBER N385KA WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND SUBSEQUENT POST-CRASH FIRE AT THE TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (TUS). THERE WERE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), AND ONE PASSENGER. BOTH WERE KILLED IN THE CRASH. THE FLIGHT PLAN INDICATES THE AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF FOR A FLIGHT TO HERMOSILLO, SONORA, MEXICO (MHMO).
A TERMINAL SECURITY CAMERA VIDEO, AS WELL AS PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, AND WITNESS STATEMENTS AGREE THAT SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE FROM RUNWAY 11L, N385KA SUDDENLY ROLLED OVER TO THE LEFT, DOVE DOWN, AND STRUCK THE CONCRETE RAMP ADJACENT TO THE TERMINAL BUILDING IN A NOSE LOW INVERTED ATTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 4,300 FEET FROM WHERE IT BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. UPON IMPACT, THE PLANE EXPLODED, AND THE BULK OF IT SLID APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET ACROSS THE RAMP, AND CAME TO A STOP AGAINST A CONCRETE ATTENUATION WALL.
THE REPORTED AIRPORT WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH WAS WIND FROM 240-DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 22 KNOTS. THE REPORTED VISIBILITY WAS 10 STATUTE MILES, AND THERE WERE OVERCAST CLOUDS AT 6,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND. THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE WAS 19-DEG C (66-DEG F), AND THE DEW POINT WAS 6-DEG C (43-DEG F). THE LOCAL ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.82?HG. THIS WIND AND RUNWAY COMBINATION WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A QUARTERING RIGHT TAILWIND COMPONENT OF APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 18 KNOTS.
TUS ATC TOWER PERSONNEL REPORTED NO HEAVY AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 11L/29R PRIOR TO N385KA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.