# NTSB NYC08CA072: Beech BE-55, N777EV, Lancaster, PA, December 13, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 13, 2007, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC) - Place: Lancaster, PA - Coordinates: 40.121665, -76.295829 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1217&lon=-76.2958&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 67333 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA072 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67333/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA072 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath during the landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to fly with known deficiencies in equipment, and the icing conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - proper glidepath - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - operation with known deficiencies in equipment - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor) ## Analysis The purpose of the accident flight was to reposition the airplane for maintenance, and was only about 10 minutes in duration. The pilot reported that an airman's meteorological advisory existed warning of light to moderate icing in precipitation and freezing drizzle along his route of flight. During the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot maintained visual contact with the ground, and reported the presence of light freezing drizzle and rain. The airplane's deicing equipment cleared the airframe of ice; however, the view through the windscreen became obscured, as the anti-ice plate on the windscreen had previously been removed for replacement, and a new unit had not yet been installed. The pilot utilized the autopilot to fly a coupled instrument landing system approach, and decoupled the autopilot about 300 feet above the ground. Using the side windows and the radar altimeter, the pilot estimated that the airplane had enough altitude to reach the runway, but due to the up-sloping terrain prior to the runway threshold, the airplane was actually lower than the pilot thought. The airplane subsequently contacted terrain about 150 feet short of the runway threshold. As the airplane came to a stop the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right main landing gear separated, damaging the wing spar. The weather reported at the destination airport, about 10 minutes before the accident, included freezing rain and a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot of the Beech E55, the purpose of the accident flight was to reposition the airplane for maintenance, and was only about 10 minutes in duration. The pilot reported that an airman's meteorological advisory existed warning of light to moderate icing in precipitation and freezing drizzle along his route of flight. During the instrument flight rules flight, the pilot maintained visual contact with the ground, and reported the presence of light freezing drizzle and rain. The airplane's deicing equipment cleared the airframe of ice; however, the view through the windscreen became obscured, as the anti-ice plate on the windscreen had previously been removed for replacement, and a new unit had not yet been installed. The pilot utilized the autopilot to fly a coupled instrument landing system approach, and decoupled the autopilot about 300 feet above the ground. Using the side windows and the radar altimeter, the pilot estimated that the airplane had enough altitude to reach the runway, but due to the up-sloping terrain prior to the runway threshold, the airplane was actually lower than the pilot thought. The airplane subsequently contacted terrain about 150 feet short of the runway threshold. As the airplane came to a stop the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right main landing gear separated, damaging the wing spar. The weather reported at the destination airport, about 10 minutes before the accident, included freezing rain and a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N777EV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N777EV-2010-02-18), registration cancelled 2010-02-18, S/N TE-871 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech BE-55 - Registry model: [Beech E-55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (registry code 1152732) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TE-871 - Airframe hours: 3234 - Engines: Continental IO-520-C 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sunrise Air, LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2007 - Departed: CXY, Harrisburg, PA - Destination: LNS, Lancaster, PA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: LNS, Lancaster Airport, runway 8, 4,102 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 10,390 total, 475 in this make and model, 9,614 as pilot in command, 105 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 3 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,300 ft overcast - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: LNS ## 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 20071213831429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071213831429A), Dec 13, 2007: Beech E55, Lancaster, PA, Substantial damage. (-23) During ILS approach rwy 8 lns, in icing conditions, aircraft impacted soft terrain in a landing attitude, approximately 175 feet short of rwy 8… ## Other investigations on N777EV (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 NYC93LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA069), Apr 5, 1993: Beech E-55 (N777EV), Leesburg, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTORS, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR. 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.