Fatal Training Flight Crash at Eglin Air Force Base (N38029)

Accident Overview and Flight History On June 23, 2011, at 0444 central daylight time, a Beech C24R, registration N38029, operated by the Eglin Air Force Base Aero Club, was substantially damaged when it struck an aircraft parking ramp at Eglin A.F.B. (VPS) in Valparaiso, Florida. The aircraft was conducting a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight under night visual meteorological conditions. The flight originated at 0421, and both the certificated flight instructor and the private pilot under instruction were fatally injured. Radar data and radio transcripts indicated the aircraft took off from runway 19 and remained in the left traffic pattern for several options. At 0434:40, the pilot requested and was approved for a transition to runway 1. Subsequent communications included requests for a right out to climb to 2,000 feet and a high key for runway 1. At 0442:43, the aircraft was at 2,000 feet, and the pilot acknowledged instructions to report the base leg. By 0443:44, the flight instructor noted that student training was in progress and the aircraft was in a right base for the option. The aircraft was over taxiway H, heading northwest at 1,200 feet. At 0443:51, the controller cleared the aircraft for the option, and the aircraft was angling over runway 1 at 1,100 feet. The aircraft then began a right turn to the northeast and was over the aircraft parking ramp at 900 feet at 0444:03. A pilot stated at 0444:05 that the aircraft was doing another 360 for runway 01, after which no further transmissions were received. The last radar contact at 0444:13 showed the aircraft in an increased right turn at 600 feet.