Fatal Beech A36 Terrain Collision Near Avalon, California (N66819)

Accident Overview and Flight History On February 5, 2009, at approximately 1642 Pacific Standard Time, a Beech A36, registration N66819, collided with terrain following a loss of control near Avalon, California. Skyblue USA LLC was operating the aircraft under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and two passengers were killed in the accident. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage from impact forces and a post-crash fire. The charter flight departed Avalon’s Airport in the Sky at 1639, with an intended destination of John Wayne/Orange County Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, California. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed but not activated. The aircraft’s home base was SNA. Radar data indicated the aircraft departed SNA at approximately 1202 and arrived at Catalina at 1225. ## Personnel and Aircraft Information The 48-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on August 14, 2008, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses. Logbook excerpts indicated an estimated total flight time of 376 hours, with 14.1 hours of actual instrument time and 50.2 hours of simulated instrument time. The aircraft was a Beech A36, serial number E-2084, with a total airframe time of 3,900 hours at the last annual inspection. The engine was a Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) IO-520-BB (51), serial number 285963. ## Meteorological and Radar Data The pilot filed an IFR flight plan at 1535 for direct to the AVX VORTAC, direct Seal Beach, and then John Wayne Airport at 3,000 feet. A special METAR for Avalon (KAVX) issued at 1630 reported winds from 210 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 26 knots, visibility 6 miles in mist, and skies 200 feet broken, 700 feet overcast. Radar data showed the aircraft at 1,600 feet MSL near the departure end of runway 22 at 1639:19. The aircraft made a 90-degree climbing left turn to the southeast, then a 180-degree right turn, reaching a peak altitude of 2,400 feet. The target began a descending left turn, losing 600 feet in 9 seconds. The last radar return was at 1641:56 at 1,800 feet MSL. ## Wreckage and Impact Information The accident site was located about 175 degrees at 1.6 nautical miles from the center of the airport, in hilly terrain. The first identified point of contact was an impact crater with symmetrical ground scars. The debris path was along a magnetic heading of 058 degrees, and the main wreckage was 120 feet from the FIPC. The aircraft came to rest inverted with the engine underneath it. Fire consumed most of the cabin area and center wing sections. ## Additional Information The pilot owned Skyblue USA, which offered tour packages of Southern California, including Catalina Island. The male passenger had contacted a hotel to arrange a flight to Catalina for himself and his female companion. The hotel front desk arranged for a rental car to take the guests to Orange County Airport to meet the pilot. Investigators from the Safety Board, FAA, TCM, and Hawker Beechcraft examined the wreckage on March 25, 2009. The airframe manufacturer determined that the flaps were retracted, all landing gears were extended, and the fuel selector valve was in the right tank position. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.