# NTSB CHI84FA028: Beech BE90C, N4TS, Fort Wayne, IN, October 24, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: October 24, 1983, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place: Fort Wayne, IN
- Coordinates: 41.039623, -85.150367 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0396&lon=-85.1504&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 12373
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI84FA028
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/12373/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI84FA028

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, climb
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

AT 1604 EST, THE ACFT DEPARTED FORT WAYNE ON A FERRY FLT. IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED & THE PLT HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. WHILE CLIMBING AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT PASSED HIS ASSIGNED ALT OF 2500 FT MSL & FLEW TO 4200 FT. ALSO, HE FAILED TO TURN TO HIS INITIAL ASSIGNED HEADING OF 130 DEG. HE HAD PROBLEMS CONTACTING DEPARTURE CONTROL AS HE WAS NOT ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. HE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH HIS HEADING INDICATOR & HIS 'GYRO'. SHORTLY AFTER HIS LAST TRANSMISSION, THE ACFT LEFT 4200 FT MSL & CRASHED IN A STEEP DIVE. BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE ATP PLT REPORTED HE HAD FLOWN ALL KING AIR ACFT & WAS CURRENTLY FLYING THE BEECH 200. A REVIEW OF HIS LAST LOG BOOK REVEALED OVER 2000 HRS IN THE BEECH 200, BUT SHOWED NO TIME IN THE BEECH C90. A WITNESS THAT REVIEWED THE ACFT WITH THE PLT BEFORE THE FLT BELIEVED HE (THE PLT) WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ACFT SYSTEMS. DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE, NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO VERIFY A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT OR ENG. ALL INSTRUMENTS WERE DESTROYED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N4TS (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Beech BE90C
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: LJ541
- Airframe hours: 3821
- Engines: P&W PT6A-6/C20 550 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Operator: Taubert & Stweed
- Registered owner: Lightning Air Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 20, 1983, 51 hours before
- Departed: FWA, FT. WAYNE, IN
- Destination: TUL, TULSA, IN
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 18,980 total, 18,709 as pilot in command, 182 in the last 90 days, 64 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 400 ft overcast
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: FWA, 8 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19831024055339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831024055339A), Oct 24, 1983: Beech C90, Ft Wayne, IN, Destroyed. Aircraft collided with the ground in uncontrolled descent. Pilot had radio contact indicating gyro problems.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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