20180917016339A

ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2018, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 MST, N2031D, A BEECHCRAFT BONANZA BE-F33A, WAS ON APPROACH TO LAND RUNWAY 32 AT THE COTTONWOOD AIRPORT (P52), COTTONWOOD, AZ. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE VMC. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE ROOF OF A TWO STORY RESIDENTIAL GARAGE AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 1100' SOUTHEAST OF THE THRESHOLD, AT A HEADING ESTIMATED AROUND 310°. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE BACKYARD OF THE SAME RESIDENCE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT POINTING SOUTH AND A POST-ACCIDENT FIRE STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THERE WERE NO GROUND INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT TO THE RESIDENCE. THE PILOT WAS THE LONE OCCUPANT AND MANAGED TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE, BUT NOT BEFORE SUFFERING SEVERE BURNS OVER MOST OF HIS BODY. THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED BY AIR AMBULANCE TO THE MARICOPA BURN CENTER IN PHOENIX, AZ. THE PILOT LATER SUCCUMBED TO THOSE INJURIES ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2018.

THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS CLEAR SKIES, WINDS CLAM WITH A VISIBILITY OF 10 STATUTE MILES AND A TEMPERATURE OF 82°F/ DEW POINT OF 52°F.

N2031D DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT (VGT) AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 MDT (0830 MST) AND REQUESTED VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING EN ROUTE TO P52 PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. FLIGHT FOLLOWING WAS TERMINATED AT 0925 MST AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS EN ROUTE DURING THAT TIME.

THE OWNER OF THE RESIDENCE WAS INSIDE THE HOUSE LOOKING OUT INTO THE BACKYARD WHEN HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT THE GARAGE. HE STATED THAT BEFORE THE LOUD BANG FROM THE IMPACT, HE DID NOT HEAR ANY AIRCRAFT ENGINE SOUND. HE WITNESSED THE AIRCRAFT ?CARTWHEELING? AS IT CAME DOWN TO THE GROUND.

ANOTHER WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT WAS IN HIS FRONT YARD, WHICH IS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE RESIDENCE WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE HAD HIS BACK TO THE STREET AND HEARD WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS THE LOUDEST PLANE EVER COMING INTO THE AIRPORT. HE TURNED AROUND AT THE SAME MOMENT AS N2031D STRUCK THE GARAGE. HE THEN SAW THE AIRCRAFT GO OUT OF SIGHT INTO THE BACKYARD, THEN SHORTLY AFTER SAW SMOKE RISING FROM BEHIND THE RESIDENCE. HE STATED THAT HE THEN RAN INTO HIS HOUSE TO CALL 911 AND THEN RAN ACROSS THE STREET AND INTO THE BACKYARD WHERE HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT IN FLAMES. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, HE NOTICED A PERSON ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES APPROXIMATELY 25? FROM THE TAIL SECTION. HE WENT TO THAT PERSON, WHICH WAS THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND NOTED THAT HIS CLOTHES HAD BEEN BURNED OFF AS WELL AS BURNS TO HIS SKIN. THE WITNESS ASKED THE PILOT IF HE WAS OKAY AND THE PILOT RESPONDED, ?PLEASE DON?T TOUCH ME.? THE PILOT THEN SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE ENGINE QUITTING, BUT THE WITNESS COULDN?T REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ENTIRE CABIN SECTION COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE POST-ACCIDENT FIRE FROM THE ENGINE FIREWALL BACK TO THE EMPENNAGE. THE RIGHT WING WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH THE OUTER ½ OF IT TORN OFF CHORD WISE. THE FUEL TANK WAS BREACHED, WHICH MOST LIKELY FED THE POST-ACCIDENT FIRE. THE REST OF THE RIGHT WING WAS FIRE DAMAGED FROM THE WING ROOT OUTBOARD APPROXIMATELY 1 ½ ?. THE LEFT WING WAS NOT DAMAGED BY THE FIRE, BUT HAD CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE WING TIP. THE FLAP WAS IN THE FULLY RETRACTED POSITION. ONLY ½ GALLON OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT WING. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT WING TANK.

THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE RUDDER AND LEFT AND RIGHT ELEVATORS. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED TO ALL PRIMARY CONTROL SURFACES.

ONE OF THE THREE PROPELLER BLADES EXHIBITED SUBSTANTIAL LEADING EDGE IMPACT DAMAGE ALONG WITH CHORD WISE GOUGES CONSISTENT WITH HARD SURFACE CONTACT WHILE THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER. THE OTHER TWO BLADES ALSO EXHIBITED LEADING EDGE DAMAGE, BUT TO A LESSER DEGREE.

THE POWERPLANT EXPERIENCED FIRE DAMAGE TO THE REAR SECTION INCLUDING THE ACCESSORIES MOUNTED TO THE GEARBOX. VALVE TRAIN CONTINUITY WAS D