Accident Overview
The aircraft collided with the ground in a high-speed dive and was totally destroyed. The impact created a crater 7 feet deep, and debris scattered over an area extending 100 yards. The engines were recovered at a depth of 14 feet within the crater.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft departed from Baytown, Texas, at 2215. At 2334, radar and radio contact were lost. At no time during the flight did the pilot indicate any difficulties. As radar contact was lost, the return entered coast mode for 8 sweeps, lasting 38 seconds. One condition that can trigger coast mode is a rapid rate of descent exceeding 500 feet per minute.
Investigation Findings
After the accident, the tail light bulb was sent to the NTSB laboratory for analysis to determine whether it was illuminated at impact. The findings indicated that the bulb was not illuminated at the time of impact. The aircraft had no provisions for an emergency lighting system.
Previous Incident
On August 1, 1983, the pilot-owner experienced a total electrical failure in the same aircraft while en route from California to Dallas, Texas. The battery cables were found to be corroded and loose; they were cleaned and tightened. No further record of electrical maintenance was noted after that event.