FTW02FA004

While maneuvering during a local instructional flight, the multiengine airplane entered a flat spin that resulted in an in-flight collision with the terrain. A witness, who holds a private pilot certificate, observed the airplane approximately 1,500 feet agl in a "flat spin," and the airplane impacted the ground "flat on its bottom" in a pasture, approximately 400 yards north of the witness. Another witness reported that the airplane was in a flat spin and could not recover. The private pilot with a multiengine rating occupied the left seat, and the multiengine flight instructor occupied the right seat. At the accident site, the landing gear actuator was found in the extended position, and the flap actuators were found in the 10 degree flap position. Examination of the right propeller revealed that the blade counterweight signature markings on the blade sockets indicated that the propeller was in the feathered position at impact. Examination of the right propeller unfeathering accumulator revealed the presence of three separate cracks at the transition between the circumferential stiffener and the thin-walled hemisphere of the diaphragm. The private pilot's toxicological tests indicated that 0.462 (ug/ml, ug/g) of Citalopram (also known by the trade name Celexa), 0.114 (ug/ml, ug/g) of N-desmethylcitapram, 0.024 (ug/ml, ug/g) of di-N-desmethylcitalopram, 0.194 (ug/ml, ug/g) of Diphenhydramine (commonly known by the trade name Benadryl) was detected in the blood and urine, and 17.406 (ug/ml, ug/g) acetaminophen was detected in the urine. Citalopram is a prescription antidepressant, N-desmethylcitapram and di-N-desmethylcitalopram are metabolites of citalopram, and diphenhydramine is an over-the counter antihistamine with sedative effects, often used to treat allergy symptoms. Diphenhydramine was detected in the private pilot's blood in levels consistent with the recent ingestion of several times a normal dose, and the pilot was likely impaired by the effects of diphenhydramine.

History of flight

On October 4, 2001, approximately 1315 central daylight time, a Beech 95-B55 twin engine airplane, N8164R, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain following a loss of control near Alvarado, Texas. The flight instructor and a private pilot, receiving instruction, were fatally injured. The airplane was owned by a private individual and operated by Alamo Aviation, Inc. of Arlington, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The local flight originated from the Arlington Municipal Airport, Arlington, Texas, approximately 1215.

According to personnel at the Alamo Aviation flight school, the private pilot was the owner of the flight school, and the flight instructor was the flight school's chief pilot/flight instructor. Approximately 1200, the general manager of Alamo dispatched the aircraft to the owner and flight instructor for a proficiency flight in the local area.

A witness, who holds a private pilot certificate, reported that at 1315, he heard an aircraft flying overhead. He stated that there was a "noticeable change in engine sound," and he looked up, but did not see an airplane. A few seconds later, the witness heard the sound of an engine again, looked up to see an airplane approximately 1,500 feet agl in a "flat spin." He reported that at 200 feet agl, it seemed like one of the engines "rev[ed] up;" however, the "attitude of the airplane did not change." The airplane impacted the ground "flat on its bottom" in a pasture, approximately 400 yards north of the witness.

Another witness stated that he heard an airplane having engine "trouble"; and subsequently observed the airplane approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet agl. This witness reported that "the engines were constantly trying to start again, but would not take hold. The airplane was in a flat spin and could not recover."

Personnel information

The flight instructor held both a commercial pilot certificate with airplane multiengine land, airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The flight instructor held a certified flight instructor's certificate with airplane multiengine land, airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The flight instructor airplane multiengine land rating was issued on June 27, 1995, and the certificate was reissued on June 3, 2001, for an undetermined reason. The instructor was issued a second class medical certificate on September 27, 2001, with the limitation "Holder shall wear corrective glasses while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate."

A review of the flight instructor's pilot logbook revealed, as of September 22, 2001, that the instructor had accumulated 9,170.6 hours of flight time, 8,781.4 hours as the pilot-in-command, and 7,604.7 total hours as a flight instructor, of which 670.4 hours was multiengine flight instruction. The flight instructor's most recent biennial flight review (BFR) was satisfactorily performed on June 23, 2001, in a single-engine airplane. The flight instructor's first flight in the accident airplane occurred on May 23, 2001, and he had logged 40.2 total hours in the airplane at the time of the accident. In the preceding 90 days, the flight instructor logged 154.8 total flight hours, of which 47.1 hours were multiengine instruction; and in the preceding 30 days, 19.6 total flight hours, of which 1.1 hours was multiengine instruction.

In a statement provided by a pilot who completed an airplane checkout with the flight instructor, the pilot stated that the flight instructor "had me do the standard items for a checkout. Steep turns, stalls power on and off, engine out procedures. We shut down and feathered the right engine, then did a restart."

In a statement provided by a pilot who had flight experience and completed multiengine training with the flight instructor, the pilot stated that during an aircraft checkout, a single-engine operation maneuver was performed. The pilot reported, "[flight instructor] gave me an engine failure by pulling back the left throttle to simulate the failure and then had me feather the left engine to feel the decrease in drag. He then had me unfeather the left engine by placing the left prop[eller] control into the high RPM position and having the unfeathering accumulator bring the prop[eller] out of the feathered position, which it did with no problems. This is the only time [flight instructor] would actually feather an engine and only within close distance to a nearby airport and only in straight and level flight. He never combined an engine feather with a maneuver such as a Vmc demo[nstration]." The checkout also included slow flight maneuvers using different configurations such as flaps and [landing] gear up or down.

The private pilot, who occupied the left seat, was issued his private pilot certificate on December 31, 1997, and was issued his airplane multiengine land rating on October 25, 2000. The private pilot also held the instrument airplane and rotorcraft ratings. The private pilot was issued a third class medical certificate on December 2, 1999, with no limitations or restrictions.

A review of the private pilot's logbook revealed that the private pilot had accumulated 316 hours total flight time, which included 61.7 hours multiengine, and 9.2 hours in the accident airplane. The private pilot logged his first flight in the accident airplane on August 18, 2001. In the preceding 90 days, the private pilot logged 22.4 hours total flight time, of which 9.2 hours was multiengine flight time in the Beech 55 airplane. In the preceding 30 days, the private pilot logged 5.0 hours total flight time of dual instruction in the accident airplane.

The private pilot had logged a total of 13.1 hours of dual instruction with this flight instructor in a Piper PA-34-200 multiengine airplane. The accident flight was the flight instructor's first instructional flight with the private pilot in the accident airplane.

Aircraft information

The 1974 airplane was a Beech 95-B55, serial number TC-1746. The Beech 95-B55 is a twin-engine, low wing, all metal airplane of semimonocoque design, powered by two fuel injected reciprocating engines. The airplane was configured to carry a maximum of six occupants.

The airplane was issued a FAA Standard Airworthiness Certificate on August 1, 1974, and was certified for normal category operations. At the time of the accident, the airframe had accumulated 7,896.7 total hours, 108.9 hours since the last annual inspection performed on November 17, 2000. No anomalies or discrepancies were recorded in the maintenance records during the annual inspection. The Hobbs meter indication at the last annual inspection was 2,197.3 hours.

The left engine was a 260-horsepower Teledyne Continental IO-470-L, serial number (S/N) 454523 engine. At the most recent annual inspection, performed on November 17, 2000, the left engine total time was 6,859.3 hours, 690.4 hours since major overhaul (SMOH) on February 10, 1997. At the time of the accident, the left engine had accumulated 799.3 total hours SMOH.

The right engine was a 260-horsepower Teledyne Continental IO-470-L, serial number 454233. At the most recent annual inspection, performed on November 17, 2000, the right engine total time was 7,156.4 hours (4,111.5 hours SMOH). At the time of the accident, the right engine had accumulated 4,220.4 hours SMOH.

Airframe records dated July 9, 1982, stated in part: Installed [a] serviceable prop[eller] unfeathering accumulator on [the right/hand] R/H side and checked operational. The maintenance record for the right engine, dated April 9, 1990, stated in part: Serviced propeller accumulator with nitrogen." The maintenance records for the left engine, dated August 15, 1990, stated in part: re-installed propel