DEN05FA032

History of flight

On December 7, 2004, at 1020 central standard time, a Beech A45 single-engine airplane, N141SW, registered to PRVNY PLUK, LLC, of Houston, Texas, and operated by Texas Air Aces Inc., d.b.a. Aviation Safety Training, of Spring, Texas, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following an in-flight separation of the left wing and subsequent loss of control near Montgomery, Texas. The airline transport pilot (pilot-in-command/safety pilot) and pilot-rated passenger (client) were both fatally injured. Visual metrological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 demonstration flight. The flight originated from the David Wayne Hooks Municipal Airport (DWH), near Houston, Texas, approximately 0945.

The client attended Aviation Safety Training for a two-day Advanced Maneuvering Program (AMP). The program included ground school and flight training that focused on unusual attitudes and upset recovery. The client completed the ground school portion of the training the day prior to the accident. The accident flight was the first of two flights for the flight portion of the program. The accident flight was a single aircraft flight; according to the operator, typically the AMP training consisted of two aircraft training simultaneously in the practice area.

The airplane was equipped with an on-board video/audio recording system. According to the operator, the videotapes are used for the purpose of post-flight debriefings. A review of the videotape revealed the video view was from a tail-mounted camera, which looked forward toward the canopy, and the view extended laterally to both wingtips. The camera view remained the same throughout the recording. The recording contained approximately 35:27 (minutes:seconds) of continuously recorded video and audio. All times of the recording in the History of Flight section of the factual report are elapsed times from the beginning of the recording unless otherwise specified. The elapsed time format is in hours, minutes, and seconds (HHMM:SS).

The recording began with the airplane on the ground at DWH in a parking area with the engine running. The safety pilot, seated in the rear seat, requested and received clearance and taxi instructions to runway 35L. The airplane approached the departure end of the runway, stopped on the taxiway, and the safety pilot performed pre-flight run-up procedures. After a position and hold clearance, the airplane was cleared for takeoff and began the takeoff roll. Shortly after the takeoff roll began, the safety pilot gave control of the airplane to the client, informed him that the takeoff would be his, and the safety pilot would maintain control of the engine power.

The airplane took off and generally maintained runway heading for the next 12 minutes of video. The airplane climbed in steps; first to 2,800 feet and then to 3,800 feet in order to remain clear of Class B airspace. Approximately 0015:00, the airplane reached the vicinity of Lake Conroe at 3,800 feet. At 0016:17, a climb to 6,000 feet was initiated. After reaching 6,000 feet, the safety pilot and client began performing the AMP training maneuvers. The safety pilot described each maneuver beforehand, as well as during each maneuver. The training maneuvers included steep turns, stalls, accelerated stalls, unusual attitudes and recoveries from these to a wings level attitude using several techniques. The maneuvers performed demonstrated the airplane's response to 'rudder only' recovery techniques at low and high angles of attack, 'rudder combined with aileron' recoveries also at low and high angles of attack, and demonstrations of positive dynamic and static stability of the airplane.

At 0034:50, the safety pilot asked the client to lower the nose to "about a hundred and forty knots," and afterwards told the client to slowly pitch the nose upward "until we're pointed straight up." The airplane was seen climbing vertically up and visual contact with the ground disappeared. The safety pilot then told the client to "pull the way we just did a minute ago and pull the airplane into a stall." A brief stall occurred, and then the airplane continued to pitch in the same direction, and its path resembled the remainder of an inside loop. As the ground reappeared into the view, the aircraft was inverted and descending. There was a slight roll to the left as the airplane was descending while its pitch attitude continued in the same trend toward a vertical nose down attitude. While in a steep nose down attitude (no sky visible in the view), the safety pilot told the client to "pull it into a stall right now." At that moment (0035:26), the recording appeared to end.

According to witness statements, at the time of the accident, the witnesses were working approximately 1/2 mile from the accident site. Witnesses heard a "bang" and noticed an airplane in a near vertical attitude. The witnesses then observed a wing and several other small components separate from the airplane. After the wing separation, the airplane spiraled nose down toward the ground. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a hard surface gravel road. The witnesses secured the area until the local authorities arrived.

Personnel information

The pilot-in-command, designated as the safety pilot, occupied the rear seat. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane multi-engine land rating. The pilot also held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot was issued a second-class medical certificate on October 4, 2004, with a limitation for corrective lenses. According to the pilot's insurance records dated November 16, 2004, the pilot had accumulated 5,280 total flight hours and 792 total hours in the make and model of the accident airplane, of which 20 hours were in the previous 90 days. The records revealed the pilot was an ex-military fighter pilot. According to the operator, the pilot had been employed with them since October 2001, and had been the operator's chief pilot since December 2003.

The pilot-rated passenger, designated as the client, occupied the front seat. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane multi-engine land rating. The pilot also held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot was issued a first-class medical certificate on October 24, 2004, with no restrictions or limitations. According to an October 2003 medical certificate application, the pilot reported a total of 14,700 hours.

Aircraft information

The A-45 (military designation T-34A, B45) airplane is a single-engine, tandem-seat trainer manufactured by Beech Aircraft Corporation. The airplane was designed to meet the requirements of a primary military trainer and, at the same time, prepare the student pilot for the transition to heavier, higher-performance airplanes. The overall dimensions of the airplane are a wingspan of 32.8 feet, a length of 25.9 feet and a height of 9.6 feet. The normal gross weight of the airplane is 2,950 pounds. The airplane utilizes three landing gear in a retractable tricycle configuration. The entire T-34 A and B production was sold to U.S. military customers or exported to foreign military customers. The airplane was delivered with a Continental O-470-13 engine rated at 225 horsepower. The accident airplane had a Continental IO-550-B9F engine rated at 300 horsepower.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration records, the accident airplane was loaned to the Dyes Air Force Base (AFB), Texas, Aero Club on September 29, 1958, at a reported time of 1,901.09 hours. On October 15, 1958, the airplane was issued a FAA Standard Airworthiness Certificate and entered civilian use as a Dyes AFB Aero Club asset. It was released from the United States Air Force (US