# NTSB SEA07FA035: Beech D95A, N144PG, Gilroy, CA, December 18, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: December 18, 2006, 15:54 local (23:54 UTC) - Place: Gilroy, CA - Coordinates: 36.993888, -121.540832 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9939&lon=-121.5408&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Textron Lycoming, Raytheon Aircraft Company, Federal Aviation Administration, Hartzell Propeller - NTSB case key (mKey): 65039 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07FA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65039/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07FA035 ## Probable cause The certified flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane and inadequate supervision of the flight, which resulted in a stall/spin. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, descent - uncontrolled - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - other ## Analysis During a multi-engine instructional flight, the airplane entered a spin and descended into a wastewater treatment facility. Flight school personnel indicated that the intended flight plan was for the instructor to teach Vmc demonstrations to the private pilot undergoing instruction (PUI) and the passenger. During a Vmc demonstration, power is reduced on the critical engine (left) and the airplane is recovered prior to loss of directional control or stall. Radar data indicated that the flight departed and flew in a south-southeasterly direction. The airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 4,400 feet mean sea level and showed a decrease in true airspeed, prior to disappearing from radar. Post accident examination revealed that the left engine was producing no to low power at the time of impact and the right engine was producing mid to high power, consistent with a Vmc demonstration. Examination of the engines and propellers revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure, and control continuity was obtained. The PUI had accrued 2.7 hours in multi-engine airplanes at the time of the accident and the passenger had accrued 8.3 hours in multi-engine airplanes. Performance calculations using the airplane's presumed radar track showed that during the last portion of the flight, the calibrated airspeed decreased to 110 knots and the rate of descent was 400 feet per minute, and the track showed a turn to the left, prior to dropping off of radar. The calibrated airspeed of 110 knots is greater than the Vmc speed of 69.5 knots. ## Factual narrative 1.1 History of the Flight On December 18, 2006, at 1554 Pacific standard time, a Beech D95A (Travel Air), N144PG, descended uncontrolled into an open wastewater treatment tank at the South County Regional Wastewater Authority treatment facility in Gilroy, California. The airplane was destroyed. The certified flight instructor (CFI), the private pilot undergoing instruction (PUI), and private certificated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by California In Nice Inc., doing business as Nice Air, as a local instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County, San Jose, California at 1330. The local authorities received a call of a downed airplane at 1555. The wreckage was located by plant personnel at 1707 and reported to the local police. According to the operator, the purpose of the flight was for the CFI to teach the students multi-engine operations. At some point during the flight, the instructor would have landed at a local airport for the students to switch positions (one in front left seat and one in back seat). The airplane was scheduled to return to Reid-Hillview by 1700. 1.1.1 Witness Information A witness was flying in his airplane at an altitude of 3,500 feet on a heading of 320 degrees when he observed a multi-engine airplane in a spin and descending to the ground. He estimated the airplane was at an altitude of 2,500 to 3,000 feet and approximately 1 mile from his position when he first observed it. The airplane continued its vertical descent into an open sewage tank. He did not observe any other aircraft in the area at the time and he did not see any smoke emitting from the airplane. After the airplane disappeared into the open tank, he reported the incident to air traffic control. The controller requested that the pilot fly lower and report his observations to ATC. He descended to 1,000 feet and could not detect any wreckage or damage to the facility. He continued to circle the site for approximately 30 minutes, and then he notified air traffic control that he was going to depart the area. An additional witness, who was a CFI at Nice Air, reported that she and her flight student were in a Cessna 152. They were flying over Gilroy at an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet on a north heading when she saw the multi-engine airplane spinning. The witness believed that the airplane was spinning to the left but was not certain. After 5 seconds, the airplane descended into what appeared to be a factory. The witness further stated that on December 16, the accident CFI had flown with the same students on a similar mission. They departed Reid-Hillview about 1330 and the first student performed takeoffs and landings. Then, they flew to Hollister Municipal Airport, Hollister, California, where the students switched positions. The CFI and student then practiced maneuvers in the practice area, prior to returning to Reid-Hillview. The witness overheard the CFI speaking with his students the day prior to the accident and they indicated that the flight itinerary for December 18 would be the same as December 16. The witness also indicated that she spoke with the PUI and he stated that he would be practicing Vmc demonstrations as well as takeoffs and landings. 1.1.2 Radar Information A Safety Board air traffic control specialist reviewed the radar data pertinent for the flight. Radar data was obtained from the FAA's Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (NCT) located in Sacramento, California. The radar data used for this report came from an ASR-9 radar site located near Moffett Field, California. NCT supplied a video file containing a replay of the accident airplane's flight, beginning shortly after departure from San Jose. The airplane was initially radar identified, but subsequently terminated radar service, changing to transponder code 1200. Review of the data showed that the identified track was isolated from all but one unidentified aircraft near the point where radar contact was lost. The second aircraft passed within approximately 1/2-mile of the presumed accident airplane's track, in the opposite direction and at the same altitude. The track showed the presumed accident airplane's departure from San Jose, in a general south-southeast direction. The track proceeded into one turn to the right, and then continued in a south-southeast direction. At the last radar target, the airplane was established at 4,400 feet mean sea level. 1.2 Other Damage The South County Regional Wastewater Authority plant sustained damage to the hand railing that surrounded the tank impact area. In addition, several cosmetic scratch marks were noted on the inner concrete walls and tank partition. 1.3 Personnel Information 1.3.1 Certified Flight Instructor The CFI held a certified flight instructor certificate and was authorized to conduct single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument instruction. He held a first class medical that was issued in July of 2006. It contained no limitations or waivers. The operator reported that the CFI's total time was about 2,000 hours, with approximately 200 hours of multi-engine time. Of the 2,000 hours, about 1,800 hours were accrued while giving instruction, and 150 hours of the 200 hours of multi-engine time were accrued while giving multi-engine instruction. 1.3.2 Pilot Undergoing Instruction The PUI held a private pilot certificated and with an instrument rating. He held a second class medical that was issued in March of 2006. It contained the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses. The PUI obtained his private pilot certificate on June 14, 2006, and his instrument rating on December 7, 2006. The pilot was undergoing instruction to obtain a multi-engine rating and had accrued 2.7 hours of total multi-engine flight hours, all within the accident airplane make and model and with the accident CFI. 1.3.3 Passenger The passenger was also obtaining instruction for a multi-engine rating. He held a private pilot certificate. His first class medical certificate was issued in September of 2006 and contained no limitations or waivers. Records obtained from the operator showed that the passenger had accrued approximately 8.3 hours in multi-engine training in the accident airplane make and model, all with the accident CFI. 1.4 Airplane Information The airplane was a Beech D95A (Travelair). Two Textron Lycoming IO-360-B1B engines powered the airplane and were equipped with Hartzell HC-C2YK-2CUF propellers. The last annual inspection was completed on June 10, 2006, at an airframe total time of 5,834.9 hours and a tachometer time of 209 hours. On November 30, 2006, the airplane underwent a 100-hour inspection at a tachometer time of 309 hours. The date of the accident, the airplane was dispatched with a tachometer time of 324.3 hours and a Hobbs meter time of 484.9 hours. No airframe total time was noted on the dispatch log. According to the Beech Model D95A Owner's Manual, the best single-engine rate-of-climb speed with the landing gear and flaps retracted is 108 miles per hour (mph) (94 knots). The minimum control speed is 80 mph (69.5 knots). The power on stall speed with the landing gear and flaps retracted in level flight is 61 mph (53 knots). The power off stall speed in the same configuration is 85 mph (73.5 knots). Information obtained from the operator and the airplane manufacturer indicated that the airplane weight (estimated) at the time of the accident was 3,692 pounds, with a center of gravity (CG) of 81.5 inches. The CG range of the airplane at 3,600 pounds is between 75 and 86 inches aft of the datum. The maximum weight of the airplane is 4,200 pounds. 1.5 Meteorological Information An aviation automated ## Aircraft - Registration: [N144PG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N144PG-2014-10-24), registration cancelled 2014-10-24, S/N TD-601, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech D95A - Registry model: [Beech D95A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d95a) (registry code 1153408) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TD-601 - Airframe hours: 5950 - Engines: Textron Lycoming IO-360-B1B 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: California In Nice, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 1, 2006, 5,935 hours before - Departed: SJC, San Jose Int'l, CA - Destination: RHV, Reid-Hillview, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 26; injuries: fatal; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2006; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,980 total, 207 in this make and model, 1,885 as pilot in command, 183 in the last 90 days, 42 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 38; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 1, 2006; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 160 total, 3 in this make and model, 75 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: WVI, 11 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 20061218027209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061218027209A), Dec 18, 2006: Beech D95A, Gilroy, CA, Destroyed, 3 fatal. (-23) The actual facts that were causal to the accident remain unclear at this time. However, it appears the aircraft was on a training flight where they were… 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.