# NTSB LAX93LA244: Beech K-35, N672T, Eureka, NV, June 6, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 1993, 16:37 local (23:37 UTC) - Place: Eureka, NV - Coordinates: 39.820835, -116.189361 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8208&lon=-116.1894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report July 25, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28399 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA244 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28399/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA244 ## Probable cause THE PILOT DISREGARDING THE ADVICE THAT VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WERE NOT RECOMMENDED; THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT; THE PILOT ATTEMPTING FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS; THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATION; AND THE PILOT'S LIMITED ACTUAL OR SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - weather condition - clouds - weather condition - icing conditions - preflight briefing service - disregarded, pilot in command (cause) - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - flight into known adverse weather - attempted, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (cause) - vfr flight into imc - attempted, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis DURING THE WEATHER BRIEFING FOR A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE FSS SPECIALIST TOLD THE PILOT THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE BRIEFING INCLUDED PRECAUTIONS FOR MODERATE TO SEVERE ICING; LOW CEILINGS; MOUNTAIN OBSURCATIONS; RAIN/SNOW; FOG; AND MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE PILOT ASKED ABOUT AN ALTERNATE ROUTE AND WAS TOLD THE SAME CONDITIONS EXISTED ON THAT ROUTE. ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER HIS FSS BRIEFING, THE PILOT CONTACTED FAA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS FOR ADVISORIES. ABOUT TWO HOURS AFTER HIS INITIAL CONTACT WITH ATC, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS IN CLOUDS AND WAS EXPERIENCING ICING. THE CONTROLLERS GAVE THE PILOT A NEW HEADING TO HELP HIM GET OUT OF THE CLOUDS. SEVERAL TIMES THE PILOT TOLD CONTROLLERS HE WAS IN ICING CONDITIONS. ABOUT TEN MINUTES AFTER FIRST REPORTING ICING AND BEING IN THE CLOUDS, THE PILOT SAID 'I AM BREAKING OUT.' NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE PILOT AND THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. ## Factual narrative On June 6, 1993 about 1637 hours Pacific daylight time, a Beech K 35, N672T, collided with the terrain following an in flight loss of control, while in cruise flight , about 20 miles north of Eureka, Nevada. The airplane was destroyed and the certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The personal flight was being operated by the pilot. The flight originated in Grangeville, Idaho, at an undetermined time and was destined for Burbank, California. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. According to recorded transcripts provided by the Boise, Idaho, FAA Flight Service Station (FSS), the pilot of N672T telephoned that FSS 1313 hours, and requested a briefing. He told the FSS position specialist that he was flying from Caldwell Airport (Grangeville), to Burbank. The transcripts show the position specialist telling the pilot "OK VFR flight is not recommended." He told the pilot there were flight precautions for moderate to isolated severe icing between 8,000 and 20,000 feet above mean sea level along the route of flight. He further stated, "...moderate to isolated severe turbulence below twenty thousand, mountain obscuration, and IFR conditions in clouds, precipitation and fog." He continued "Right now enroute ceilings are varying from a thousand feet to ten thousand feet broken to overcast, visibilities from three to seven miles in rain or snow showers and fog all up along that route." At 1314 hours, the pilot asked "Ah, could you tell me ah if I could take a route ah to Oregon to the west from here (?)" The FSS position specialist told the pilot "same conditions." The pilot acknowledged and the telephonic conversation ended at 1314:54 hours. The pilot departed Grangeville at an undetermined time. No witnesses were located that could provide any information pertaining to the pilot's actual departure. According to FAA provided voice communications transcripts, the pilot contacted Boise air traffic control tower at 1423 hours. This was the first located evidence of communications between air traffic controllers and the pilot after he became airborne. Between 1423 hours and 1447 hours, the pilot communicated with Boise and Mountain Home (U. S. Air Force), Idaho, approach control. At 2147 hours, the pilot requested an altitude change and a destination change to Elko, Nevada, from Mountain Home approach control. At 1458 hours, the pilot contacted FAA Salt Lake Center. When the airplane was handed off to Salt Lake Center, it was at an altitude of 11,800 feet and enroute to Elko. At 1520 hours, the pilot reported an altitude of 13,500 feet. At 1545 hours the Salt Lake Center air traffic controller told the pilot that previous aircraft going into Elko had to execute an instrument flight rules approach to land at that location. The pilot acknowledged and at 1545 hours, the pilot changed his destination to Burbank. At 1626 hours the pilot called Salt Lake Center and said "emergency." The controller acknowledged and asked the nature of the emergency and the pilot's intentions. The pilot responded "it's an emergency (unintelligible) severe icing cannot maintain (unintelligible)." The controller asked the pilot to repeat his last transmission. The pilot again said he had severe icing. The controller said "november six seven two tango you're experiencing severe icing." At 1627 hours, the pilot said "sever icing I have an emergency sir (unintelligible) altitude." At 1628 hours, the pilot asked for directions "so I can get out of these ah clouds ah." The controller gave the pilot a new heading. At 2329 hours the pilot reported that he was gaining altitude and climbing. The controller then asked the pilot if he was still in the clouds. The pilot said "yes but its getting a little clear clearer." The radio transmissions continued between the pilot and the FAA controller. At 1633 hours, the controller asked the pilot "...how is your icing now?" The pilot said "...I am almost (unintelligible) the clouds but there is still ah some icing." The 2335, the controller asked the pilot if he was on top of the clouds. The pilot told the controller "I am right now breaking out." The controller tried to contact the pilot seven more times and further enlisted the aid of an American Airlines crew to try to make radio contact with the pilot. No further recorded radio contact was made with the pilot. Salt Lake Center personnel made notifications that an airplane had disappeared from their radar. The Civil Air Patrol searched for the airplane and located the airplane on June 7, 1993. Local law enforcement personnel from White Pine County (Nevada) located the accident site on June 7, 1993. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION: An autopsy was not performed on the pilot. The pilot was declared dead at the scene of the Accident by the White Pine County Deputy Coroner on June 7, 1993. A toxicological examination was not performed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N672T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N672T-2000-02-12), registration cancelled 2000-02-12, S/N D-5889 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH K-35 - Registry model: [Beech K35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-k35) (registry code 1151524) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: D 5889 - Engines: Continental IO-470 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Steve Toth - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: S80, GRANGEVILLE, ID - Destination: BUR, BURBANK, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 257 total, 150 in this make and model, 181 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,400 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: EKO, 47 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 19930606017369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930606017369A), Jun 6, 1993: Beech K35, Eureka, NV, Destroyed, 1 fatal. VFR not advised due severe icing. Entered clouds en route. Tried for on top. Lost control and crashed. ## Other investigations on N672T (1) 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. - [NTSB OAK68D0384](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK68D0384), May 19, 1968: Beech K35 (N672T), Fallon, NV, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.