ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45657
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| Date: | Thursday 17 January 2002 |
| Time: | 21:14 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft C23 Sundowner |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N6622X |
| MSN: | M-2383 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5378 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-A1D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Alfred C 'Bubba' Thomas Airport (T69), Sinton, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Lufkin Angelina County Airport, TX (LFK/KLFK) |
| Alfred C 'Bubba' Thomas Airport, TX (T69) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On January 17, 2002, at 2114 central standard time, a Beech C23 single-engine airplane, N6622X, impacted trees and terrain while executing the missed approach for the VORDME 14 approach at the Sinton/San Patricio County Airport (T69), near Sinton, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, received fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed by a post impact fire. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight. The personal flight departed the Angelina County Airport (LFK), near Lufkin, Texas, approximately 1805.
The single-engine airplane impacted trees and terrain during dark night instrument meteorological conditions with fog. The private pilot, sole occupant, was returning to the home base airport from a cross-country flight. The ATC controller issued the pilot the weather (wind 120 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10, clouds 25,000 scattered, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, dew point 19 degrees Celsius, and the altimeter 30.02 inches Mercury) at the nearest airport (approximately 15 nautical miles from the destination airport) and told the pilot that fog was reported in the area. The pilot requested and was cleared for the non-precision approach VORDME 14 at the destination airport. Radar contact was lost with the aircraft at an altitude of 1,901 feet msl. Subsequently, the pilot transmitted in part "approach... can't find the airport." The controller instructed the pilot to execute the published missed approach instructions and asked the pilot for his next request. The pilot transmitted in part: "I've got it, I've got the strobe under me now sir." The controller requested if the airplane was landing and the pilot transmitted "affirmative sir I got the strobe." The controller asked the pilot if he was canceling IFR, and the pilot transmitted "no sir just a minute stay with me please sir." There were no further communications with the pilot. Witnesses near the airport reported hearing the airplane flying low, a loud boom, the sound of an explosion and fire. Local authorities, who responded to the accident site, reported "floating fog and mist in the vicinity of the airport." The pilot had accumulated 2,000 hours in the make and model of airplane. In 1996, the pilot had logged 122.8 hours of actual instrument flight time; however, neither the pilot's total or recency of IFR experience at the time of the accident could be verified. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination and teardown of the engine did not reveal any discrepancies that would preclude operation of the engine. The muffler was pressure tested in accordance with the manufacturer's heater muffler inspection procedures, and no leaks were detected. According to the NTSB metallurgist, the debris found on the carburetor inlet screen were deposits of the melted float assembly. No evidence of an in-flight mechanical and/or flight control malfunction was found that would have rendered the airplane uncontrollable prior to the impact.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees while executing a missed approach procedure. Contributing factors were the prevailing fog and the dark night conditions.
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020124X00113&key=1
Location
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Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Dec-2017 15:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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