# NTSB FTW86FA127: Beech 58, N61442, Santa Fe, TX, July 12, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: July 12, 1986, 18:49 local (23:49 UTC)
- Place: Santa Fe, TX
- Coordinates: 29.380674, -95.090141 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3807&lon=-95.0901&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 10, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 21913
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW86FA127
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/21913/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW86FA127

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - maneuver - performed
  - airspeed(vs) - not maintained (cause)
  - airspeed(vmc) - not possible
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, dual student (cause)
  - lack of recent experience in kind of aircraft, dual student
  - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - open field
  - remedial action - not attained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)

## Analysis

A PVT PLT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A LCL FLT WITH A 3RD OCCUPANT ABOARD. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO PROVIDE DUAL INSTRUCTION TO THE PVT PLT SO HE COULD OBTAIN A MULTI-ENG RATING. AT 1818, 1 OF THE PLTS CONTACTED HOUSTON TRACON & REQDRADAR ADZY & SAID THEY INTENDED TO DO SOME AIR WORK IN THE AREA. THE LAST TRANSMISSION WITH THE ACFT WAS AT 1847 WHEN THE CTLR ADZD THEY WERE CLR OF OTR TRAFFIC. APRX 4 MIN LATER, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE ACFT WAS FND WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED THE GND IN A RELATIVELY FLAT, WINGS LVL ATTITUDE. AN INV REVEALED EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS SPINNING LEFT WHEN IT CRASHED. RADAR DATA SHOWED EVIDENCE THAT THE PLTS HAD MADE A SERIES OF STALLS JUST BFR THE ACFT ENTERED A RAPID DSCNT FMAPRX 7800' (DENSITY ALT APRX 10,250'). FOR THE ACFT'S WT & CONFIGURATION, STALL SPEED (VS) WAS DETERMINED TO BE 81 KTS. THE PUBLISHED MIN CTL SPEED (SEA LVL CONDS) WAS 81 KTS & THE INTENTIONAL 1 ENG INOP SPEED (VSSE) WAS 86 KTS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N61442 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 58
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TH-1314
- Airframe hours: 889
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-CB 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Enterprise Aviation, Co.
- Registered owner: James E.Harrell
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 5, 1986, 25 hours before
- Departed: HOU, HOUSTON, TX

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 37; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 4,407 total, 252 in this make and model, 4,407 as pilot in command, 102 in the last 90 days, 38 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: GLS, 10 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 19860712032109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860712032109A), Jul 12, 1986: Beech 58, Santa Fe, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Impacted the ground in a flat spin following loss of control at 7800 feet MSL. Practicing single engine stalls.

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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