VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN14FA145
BEECH B100 — Pearland, TX
| Date | February 19, 2014 |
| Location | Pearland, TX |
| Aircraft | BEECH B100 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 39 |
| Pilot total time | 1,281 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 193 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total instrument experience-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Qualification/certification-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Below VFR minima-Effect on personnel - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Knowledge-Knowledge of meteorologic cond-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - F
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Below VFR minima-Decision related to condition - F
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Training-Total instruct/training recvd-Pilot
What happened
The non-instrument-rated pilot departed on a cross-country flight in a twin-engine turboprop airplane on an instrument flight plan. As the pilot neared his destination airport, he received heading and altitude vectors from air traffic control. The controller cleared the flight for the approach to the airport; shortly afterward, the pilot radioed that he was executing a missed approach. The controller then issued missed approach instructions, which the pilot acknowledged. There was no further communication with the pilot. The airplane collided with terrain in a near-vertical angle. About the time of the accident, the automated weather reporting station recorded a 300-foot overcast ceiling, and 5 miles visibility in mist. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, both engines displayed signatures consistent with the production of power at the time of impact. The pilot's logbook indicated that he had a total of 1,281.6 flight hours, with 512.4 in multi-engine airplanes and 192.9 in the accident airplane. The logbook also revealed that he had 29.7 total hours of actual instrument time, with 15.6 of those hours in the accident airplane. Of the total instrument time, he received 1 hour of instrument instruction by a flight instructor, recorded about 3 years before the accident. The accident is consistent with a loss of control in instrument conditions.