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20191218019959I

Incident · Substantial damage
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FAA incident report · Beech 200 · Fresno, CA · December 18, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 18, 2019 · 07:15 local
Place
Fresno, CA
Phase of flight
Ground/Ramp/Ma
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N72MM
Reported as
Beech 200
Reported engine
U/A Canada PT6A-41
People aboard
0
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
N72MMRegistration cancelled Sep 16, 2020 · Beech 200S/N BB-497 · Built 1979Airframe modelBeech 200Engine modelU/A Canada PT6A-41Turbo-prop

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.

On December 18, 2019 at aprox 0715, a minor gained unlawful entry into the airport environment and unlawful entry into the aircraft N72MM. It is unknown how long the individual was in the aircraft. Individual was able to start the left engine of the aircraft, with no known intention of flight, and the aircraft proceeded to taxi/spin in a circle due to asymmetric thrust and impacted the airport perimeter fence and gate infrastructure. Impact caused damage to left wing assembly, propeller hub to separate from engine and left main gear to collapse.

Witness saw the aircraft move and crash. Engine was continuing to run after impact. Witness, climbed onboard the aircraft and shut down the engine to prevent fire or explosion. Minor was sitting in the pilot seat appeared to be in shock and did not say anything. Witness stated that it looked like most of the switches had been flipped and all levers pushed forward.

The minor was apprehended on board the aircraft and arrested. Parents on arrived on scene after police were able to identify minor and stated that the individual holds no pilot certificates or drivers license. Minor gave no statement at the scene. Police stated the individual had history and believe this was due to mental illness or drug use.

Iic noted during the investigation of the scene that it appeared the individual was on board the aircraft for some time prior to engine start as the interior of the aircraft was ransacked.

Fbi investigation is currently ongoing. Will amend if needed.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 18, 2019 AT APROX 0715, A MINOR GAINED UNLAWFUL ENTRY INTO THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT AND UNLAWFUL ENTRY INTO THE AIRCRAFT N72MM. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW LONG THE INDIVIDUAL WAS IN THE AIRCRAFT. INDIVIDUAL WAS ABLE TO START THE LEFT ENGINE OF THE AIRCRAFT, WITH NO KNOWN INTENTION OF FLIGHT, AND THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO TAXI/SPIN IN A CIRCLE DUE TO ASYMMETRIC THRUST AND IMPACTED THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE AND GATE INFRASTRUCTURE. IMPACT CAUSED DAMAGE TO LEFT WING ASSEMBLY, PROPELLER HUB TO SEPARATE FROM ENGINE AND LEFT MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE.

WITNESS SAW THE AIRCRAFT MOVE AND CRASH. ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO RUN AFTER IMPACT. WITNESS, CLIMBED ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO PREVENT FIRE OR EXPLOSION. MINOR WAS SITTING IN THE PILOT SEAT APPEARED TO BE IN SHOCK AND DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. WITNESS STATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE MOST OF THE SWITCHES HAD BEEN FLIPPED AND ALL LEVERS PUSHED FORWARD.

THE MINOR WAS APPREHENDED ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT AND ARRESTED. PARENTS ON ARRIVED ON SCENE AFTER POLICE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY MINOR AND STATED THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HOLDS NO PILOT CERTIFICATES OR DRIVERS LICENSE. MINOR GAVE NO STATEMENT AT THE SCENE. POLICE STATED THE INDIVIDUAL HAD HISTORY AND BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESS OR DRUG USE.

IIC NOTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SCENE THAT IT APPEARED THE INDIVIDUAL WAS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT FOR SOME TIME PRIOR TO ENGINE START AS THE INTERIOR OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS RANSACKED.

FBI INVESTIGATION IS CURRENTLY ONGOING. WILL AMEND IF NEEDED.