BFO85FA001

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 58 · Hot Springs, VA · October 24, 1984

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
October 24, 1984, 08:08 local (12:08 UTC)
Place
Hot Springs, VA
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N777ABBeech 58
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
11115

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with terrain/waterMissed approach (ifr)
Weather observation - not possibleFactor
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Weather condition - below approach/landing minimumsFactor
In-flight weather advisories - not possibleFactor
Approach aids,ils localizer - not operatingFactor
Notams - not possible
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandFactor
Self-induced pressurePilot in commandFactor
Not performedPilot in commandFactor
Ifr procedure - improperPilot in commandCause
Missed approach - initiated
Proper altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The destn arpt was unattended at night & when the plt received his last wx briefing at 0519 CDT, no current wx info was available. During arrival, the acft was vectored for an ILS rwy 24 apch & the plt was advised that current wx info was still not available. Before reaching the outer marker (faf), the plt stated (2 times) that he was not receiving the ILS localizer. However, the adf equipped acft then tracked back on course & crossed over the faf/lom beacon. At 0801, the plt was cleared for the apch & radar svc was terminated. Aprx 7 min later, he declared a missed apch, then radio & radarcontact were lost. The acft was found where it crashed about 1 mi se of the arpt at an elev of 3575'. The arpt elev was 3792'. When the local alt setting was not available & the roanoke setting was used, minimums were 630' ceiling & 2 mi visibility. The 0810 wx was in part: 100' obscured & 1/8 mi vis with fog. An investigation revealed the ILS localizer had tripped off for an unknown reason at sometime before 0755 while the arpt was unattended; it worked ok after reset.

Aircraft

Registration
N777AB
Reported as
Beech 58
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TH-209
Airframe hours
2,373
Engine
Continental IO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Positioning · Part 91
Registered owner
Walter G. Hodges
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · October 19, 1984 · 5 hours before
Departed
W09 · Leesburg, VA
Destination
HSP
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
HSP · Ingalls Field, runway 24, 5,600 × 100 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
58
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
10,000 total

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
230° at 8 knots
Lowest ceiling
100 ft
Temperature
55 °F, dew point -0 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
HSP, 1 nm away