FTW99LA248

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 95-A55 · Ada, OK · September 6, 1999

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 6, 1999, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
Place
Ada, OK
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N9576YBeech 95-A55
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 30, 2000
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19990906026119A
Case key
47303

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's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare/touchdown. Factors were the pilot's excessive approach speed and the partial failure of the seat guides for the pilot's seat.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Airspeed - excessivePilot in commandFactor
Fuselage,seat - failure,partialFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
Object - hangar/airport building

Analysis

The pilot lost control of the airplane during the landing flare/touchdown, and the airplane exited the runway and impacted a hangar. According to witnesses, the airplane's speed during the approach was 'fast.' The pilot stated that the airplane landed on runway 35 and 'veered left for unknown reasons.' The airplane exited the left side of the runway and traveled 500 yards, where it penetrated a steel sheeted hangar door with three-inch steel reinforcements. A person who previously flew with the pilot reported to the FAA that the pilot 'likes to land hot.' It was noted during the post-accident examination of the airframe that two of the three seat guides for the pilot's seat, which secured the seat legs to the seat tracks, were spread open. The center and right seat guides were dislodged from the seat tracks. No other anomalies with the airframe or engines were discovered.

Factual narrative

On September 6, 1999, at 1700 central daylight time, a Beech 95-A55 multi-engine airplane, N9576Y, was substantially damaged while landing at the Ada Municipal Airport, Ada, Oklahoma. The airplane was registered to and operated by Bedre Nut Company Inc., of Ada, Oklahoma. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Ada Municipal Airport at 1500.

According to witnesses, who observed the airplane on approach to the runway, but did not see the airplane touchdown, the airplane appeared to be "coming in very fast." Another witness, who was located on the airport, stated that he heard "the engines operating at a high rate of speed," but did not see the airplane. According to the record of an interview, conducted by an FAA inspector, a person who had flown previously with the pilot stated that the pilot "likes to land hot." According to the pilot, the airplane landed on runway 35 and "veered left for unknown reasons." The airplane exited the left side of the runway, traveled approximately 500 yards, and contacted a hangar. The pilot stated that he does "not recall clearly the events during the skid from runway to hangar." According to a representative of Raytheon Aircraft Company, who examined the accident site, witness marks on the runway revealed that the airplane touched down "well left of the centerline with the left main tire initially." He stated that the airplane "touched down at an angle to the left of centerline approximately 5 degrees." The airplane exited the runway in a "left arcing turn, crossed three taxiways, and collided with a hangar." The airplane penetrated a steel sheeted hangar door, which was reinforced with three-inch steel framing, and then contacted an unoccupied airplane, which was in the hangar.

At 1753, the weather observation facility located at the McAlester Regional Airport, McAlester, Oklahoma, (located 38 miles east of the accident site) reported clear skies, visibility 10 miles, and calm winds.

The multi-engine rated pilot had accumulated a total of 4,470 hours, of which 656 hours were in multi-engine airplanes, and 12 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

The Beech Baron was examined at the site by an FAA inspector and the representative of Raytheon Aircraft Company. The right wing separated from the airframe outboard of the engine nacelle, and the left wing separated from the airframe approximately eight inches outboard of the flap/aileron intersection. The nose landing gear was collapsed. Control cable continuity was established for all flight control systems. The brakes were tested and operated normally, and no hydraulic fluid leakage was noted. On the pilot's seat, two of the three seat guides (the right and center guides), which secure the seat legs to the seat tracks, were spread open. The right and center seat guides were dislodged from the seat tracks. No other anomalies with the airframe or engines were discovered.

The airplane underwent its last annual inspection on September 13, 1998, at 3,167.5 hours. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated a total of 3,213.6 hours.

Aircraft

Registration
N9576Y
Reported as
Beech 95-A55
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TC-358
Airframe hours
3,168
Engine
Continental IO-470-L, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Bill G. Cantrell
Registered owner
Bedre Nut Company Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 13, 1998 · 46 hours before
Departed
ADH
Airport
ADH · Ada Municipal, runway 35, 6,203 × 100 ft, asphalt

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
69
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
4,470 total · 12 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
MLC, 38 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.