# NTSB CHI95FA255: Beech T-34C, N6922S, Oak Creek, WI, August 1, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: August 1, 1995, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Oak Creek, WI - Coordinates: 42.879959, -87.889106 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8800&lon=-87.8891&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 30, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9742 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95FA255 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9742/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95FA255 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate fuel supply, and his failure to maintain airspeed. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Loss of control - in flight, emergency descent/landing - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The pilot had been flying about 3 hours and 45 minutes when he acquired an IFR clearance. A short time later he told the controller his engine flamed out. Shortly after this radio call the airplane descended below radar coverage. Witnesses saw the airplane flying about 200 to 300 feet above the ground. They said the wings were banking left and right. They said the airplane made a rapid bank to the right and descended vertically into the ground. The investigation revealed no fuel in the airplane's fuel tanks and no fuel odor around the accident site. The electric stall warning system was tested at the manufacturer and performed to manufacturers' specification. The electrical systems Command Indicator Lights bulbs in both cockpits had stretched filaments. The amount of dual instruction in the accident airplane could not be determined from the pilot's flight time records. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 1, 1995, at 1040 central daylight time (cdt), a Beech T-34C-1, N6922S, registered to Shelton Enterprises of Norcross, Georgia, and piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with the ground while maneuvering for a forced landing following a total loss of power. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating on an instrument flight plan. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Atlanta, Georgia, at 0756 eastern daylight time (edt). At 1016 cdt the pilot called the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, General Mitchell International Airport's (Mitchell) approach controller. He advised the controller N6922S was flying at 12,500 feet above mean sea level (msl) and 16 miles north of the Timmerman VOR. The controller issued an IFR clearance into the Lawrence J. Timmerman Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Timmerman), about 3 minutes later. The pilot was advised that Timmerman had a ceiling of 300 feet above ground level (agl) and a visibility of 1 1/2 miles with fog. The pilot told the controller the weather was below the instrument approach minimums. He asked if he could go to Mitchell airport. The controller granted the pilot's request, assigning him a westerly heading at 10,000 feet msl. At 1028 cdt the controller cleared N6922S to a lower altitude. About nine minutes later the pilot said, "And, ah, approach we need to ah get on the ground immediately for ah 6922 Sierra." The controller asked the pilot if he were declaring an emergency. The pilot said that he was declaring an emergency because, "... we had a flame out for a moment but we seem to have gotten the power back now." After telling the controller the engine was running again, the pilot was told to maintain 2,600 feet msl. Shortly after acknowledging the controller's instructions the pilot told the controller, "We've still got [an] erratic engine." At 1041 cdt the controller said, "Beech 22 Sierra radar contact lost." There were no other radio transmissions between the controller and the pilot of N6922S. Two witnesses observed N6922S below the clouds. Both witnesses said the airplane was flying level before it made a "hard" right bank and turned upside down. They said the airplane descended vertically into the ground. One witness said N6922S was flying about 200 feet agl. He said its wing's were banking left and right before it banked hard right and descended to the ground. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot of N6922S obtained his single-engine land private pilot's license on September 2, 1974. The pilot's flight records were kept in a computer record system. The pilot's wife forwarded the computerized records for January 1, 1992, through July 18, 1995, to the IIC. These records show he had flown the T-34C 105.8 hours during this period. The amount of dual instruction in the T-34C could not be determined from these records. According to the records, he had flown a total of 259.9 hours during the previously stated period. A copy of these records are appended to this report. The pilot rated passenger received his single-engine land private pilot certificate on September 1, 1983. He obtained his airline transport pilot certificate and Learjet 25 type rating on September 6, 1993. On November 10, 1994, the pilot passed his 14 CFR Part 135 IFR checkride in the Learjet, according to FAA Form 8410-3. According to his logbooks, he had a total time of 2,552.2 hours, none of which were in the T-34 series of airplanes. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION N6922S received its Standard Airworthiness Certificate on November 6, 1990. The airplane's last annual inspection was on July 16, 1993, according to maintenance records provided by the pilot's family. A representative from the aircraft maintenance facility that did maintenance work on N6922S stated the airplane was on a progressive inspection program. He said its last inspection program event was on September 9, 1994. At that time the airplane had 664.4 hours on its airframe. A January 26, 1995, engine logbook entry showed N6922S's engine had a total time of 674.2 hours. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION N6922S's wreckage was located about 1.5 miles south of Ryan Road and about 500 feet west of Interstate Highway 94 in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Its heading was 020 degrees magnetic and a ground scar, about 60 feet long, originated from the center of the wreckage on a magnetic heading of 330 degrees. The propeller had separated from the engine and was found partially buried midway along the ground scar. The right wing leading edge was crushed upward and aft between the wing root and tip. A downward curve of the wing was observed between the midspan point and wingtip. The wing's top and bottom surfaces were wrinkled, torn, and crushed. The fuel bladder was cut in many areas. The left wing leading edge was crushed aft from its wing root to wingtip. The top and bottom surfaces were wrinkled aft of the crush area. The angle of attack indicator vane was crushed and not movable. The fuel bladder was cut in several areas. Control cable continuity was established between both ailerons and their control mechanism. Stall strips were found on both wings' leading edges. They were forward of the main landing gear wheel wells. No fuel was found in either wing fuel bladder. Examination of dirt associated with the ground scars revealed no evidence of fuel. The search for similar fuel residue surrounding the airframe and ground it was resting upon gave negative results. N6922S's empennage had separated from the fuselage at the vertical stabilizer's dorsal fin leading edge. This assembly was found resting perpendicular to the fuselage. Control cable continuity was observed between the elevator and rudder surfaces and control mechanisms. The left horizontal stabilizer and elevator were bent downward about 30 degrees at the midspan point. The fuselage, forward of the wing's midchord point, was crushed upward, outward and aft. The fuselage was bent upward at the wing's trailing edge. The front cockpit seat had separated from its mount. The aft cockpit right sidewall had vertical crush lines on it. The engine was attached to its fuselage mounting. The engine was bent to the right about 45 degrees at its midpoint. Evidence of fuel around the engine was not observed. The engine exhibited impact deformation and fractures on the gearbox, exhaust duct, gas generator case, and accessory gearbox. Power control and reversing linkages displayed impact deformation. All connections and safety wires were intact. The pneumatic lines were impact deformed. Connections between the lines, and their respective lockwires were intact. The compressor and combustion sections displayed impact crush damage. The propeller's three blades were attached to the hub. These blades were in the flat pitch setting. The blades were not able to be rotated from that position. One propeller blade was bent aft about 10 degrees at the 3/4 span point. No chordwise scratching was observed on this blade's front surface. A second blade was bent aft about 30 degrees at the midspan point. This blade had chordwise scratching on its front surface. The scratches were largest at the leading edge and diminished in width as they went toward the blade's trailing edge. The third blade had accordion bending from the midspan location outward to the tip. The front surface of this blade had various sized chordwise scratches on it. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION Autopsies were conducted on N6922S's occupants by the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, on August 2, 1995. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted a toxicological examination on the pil ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6922S](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6922S-1998-04-14), registration cancelled 1998-04-14, S/N GM89 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH T-34C - Registry model: [Beech T-34C-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-t-34c-1) (registry code 1152016) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: GM-89 - Engines: P&W PT6A-25 400 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Shelton Enterprises - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 9, 1994 - Departed: PDK, ATLANTA, GA - Destination: MKE, MILWAUKEE, WI - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 3,005 total, 106 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 11 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft overcast - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MKE, 5 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 19950801021059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950801021059A), Aug 1, 1995: Beech T34C1, Milwaukee, WI, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Engine flame out. Descended out radar range. Seen banking left and right tree top level. Stalled. Out of fuel. (-23) Beech T-34C, N6922S, crashed on August 1,… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.