- Date
- November 11, 2011, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Connersville, IN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6685SBeech 58
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111111026449A
- Case key
- 82303
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
With the assistance of a safety pilot, the pilot was flying practice instrument approaches in simulated instrument meteorological conditions. During the second approach, the safety pilot reduced the right engine power to simulate single engine conditions. After raising the hood, the pilot entered the landing flare and reduced the left engine power to idle, at which time the airplane yawed to the left 30 degrees and touched down in the grass. The pilot attempted to straighten the airplane’s path, but was unable to do so before impacting trees. The leading edge of both wings sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
With the assistance of a safety pilot, the pilot was flying practice instrument approaches in simulated instrument meteorological conditions. During the second approach, the safety pilot reduced the right engine power to simulate single engine conditions. After raising the hood, the pilot entered the landing flare and reduced the left engine power to idle, at which time the airplane yawed to the left 30 degrees and touched down in the grass. The pilot attempted to straighten the airplane but was unable to do so before impacting trees. The leading edge of both wings sustained substantial damage. The Federal Aviation Administration examined the wreckage and found no mechanical anomalies or failures that would have occurred prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6685S
- Reported as
- Beech 58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-718
- Airframe hours
- 11,680
- Engines
- Cont Motor IO 520 C, 285 horsepower, reciprocatingCont Motor IO 520 C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sky Castle Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Sky Castle Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 24, 2011
- Departed
- New Castle, IN
- Destination
- New Castle, IN
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- KCEV · Mettel Field Airport
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 21, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,323 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 19,771 as pilot in command · 76 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 31
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 26, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,850 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KGEZ
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 8, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.