# NTSB FTW91FA017: Beech B55, N811J, England, AR, November 23, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: November 23, 1990, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: England, AR
- Coordinates: 34.53963, -91.960494 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5396&lon=-91.9605&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 23238
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW91FA017
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/23238/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW91FA017

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ARREST DESCENT FROM A DIVE.  THE PILOT'S IMPAIRED JUDGMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ETHANOL (ALCOHOL) WAS A FACTOR.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - impairment(alcohol), pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - low pass - initiated, pilot in command
  - altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - level off - not attained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS ON A FLT FROM LINCOLN, KANSAS TO ENGLAND, ARKANSAS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING ERRATICALLY, NEAR A LAKE, CLOSE TO THE DESTN.  THEY ATTRIBUTED THIS AS TRYING TO GAIN THEIR RECOGNITION IN THE FORM OF A GREETING.  THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED WHILE FLYING TOWARD THE LAKE.  AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD ENTERED A DIVE & IMPACTED THE GND AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED BEFORE ARRESTING THE DESCENT.  NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FND.  THE TOXICOLOGY TESTING REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF WIDELY VARYING LEVELS OF ETHANOL IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD (79 MG/DL OR 0.079%), LUNG (65 MG/DL), & SPLEEN (36MG/DL), AS WELL AS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT (127 MG/DL)IN HIS URINE.  THE TOXICOLOGIST INDICATED THAT SOME OF THE ETHANOL MAY HAVE BEEN FROM PUTREFACTION, BUT SOME WAS FROM PRE-ACCIDENT INGESTION BY THE PILOT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N811J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N811J-2013-05-13), registration cancelled 2013-05-13, S/N TC-662, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH B55
- Registry model: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (registry code 1152706) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TC162
- Airframe hours: 1499
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-470-L 260 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Hanneman, Delmar R.
- Registered owner: Hannerman, Delmar
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 5, 1990, 133 hours before
- Departed: K71, LINCOLN, KS
- Destination: ENGLAND, AR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 10,000 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Lowest ceiling: none
- 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19901123051739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901123051739A), Nov 23, 1990: Beech 95B55, England, AR, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Made high speed shallow ground impact in open field. Had heart disease. Evidence of possible alcohol ingestion.

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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