- Date
- September 8, 1990, 15:14 local (20:14 UTC)
- Place
- Baird, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N169DDBeech 36
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900908038399A
- Case key
- 23039
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot-in-command failed to maintain control of the airplane while flying in severe weather and instrument meteorological conditions. The adverse weather conditions were a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At 1444 the pilot requested a deviation for weather. At 1510 the pilot acknowledged a requested clearance to descend from 10,000 to 6,000 feet. There were no additional transmissions received. The airplane descended on a southerly track at an average and maximum rate of descent of 5,137 and 8,250 fpm respectively. Ground speed averaged 160 mph. Impact occurred in a wings level attitude about 20 deg nose low. There were thunderstorms in the area with lightning, heavy rain, high winds, and cloud tops to 45,000 feet. Numerous bottles of insulin, syringes with needles, and a diabetic test kit were found in the pilot's baggage. The copilot's toxicology exam revealed significant amounts of phenobarbital, a controlled substance. The copilot was not instrument rated. Autopsies of both pilots identified a lack of hand or feet injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N169DD
- Reported as
- Beech 36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-2536
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lynn L. Dunham
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
- Destination
- FRD · Frederick, OK
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 603 total · 114 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 86 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 40 knots, gusting 50
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.