Introduction
On May 11, 2012, a Beech V35B airplane, registration N645EP, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after takeoff from Las Vegas Municipal Airport (LVS) in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 for a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot's destination that evening was not known.
Accident Sequence
The airplane was reported missing, and the Federal Aviation Administration issued an Alert Notification. Search and rescue personnel located the wreckage on May 12, 2012, about 4 miles east-southeast of the airport. A review of air traffic control and radar data revealed that the pilot had departed Henderson, Nevada, earlier that day and received flight following services to LVS. Inbound radar showed the airplane approaching from the west, then turning north before descending below radar coverage at around 2029. The last radar return placed the airplane 4 miles northwest of the airport at 8,400 feet mean sea level.
According to the airport manager, no one witnessed the airplane land or takeoff, as the fixed-base operator was closed. However, fueling records from a self-service pump showed the pilot purchased fuel at 2246 using a credit card. The time of departure from LVS is unknown. Radar data recorded three returns emitting a VFR beacon code approximately 4 miles northeast of the airport between 2117:45 and 2118:15, at 7,900 feet msl, with headings shifting from east-northeast to southeast.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land. His last FAA third-class medical was issued on December 30, 2010, with a restriction for near and intermediate vision, at which time he reported 1,000 total flight hours. One of his logbooks, found in the wreckage, contained entries from June 30, 2005, to September 2009, all in the accident airplane. At the last entry, the pilot had 1,236 total flight hours, including 32.3 hours of simulated instrument time (none endorsed by an instructor or safety pilot) and no logged night time. His last biennial flight review was successfully completed on September 3, 2011, in the accident airplane.
Meteorological Information
Weather reported at LVS at 2053 included wind from 130 degrees at 14 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 16°C, dewpoint 2°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches Hg. The moon phase was waning gibbous with 62% illumination, but moonrise did not occur until 0039 the following morning.
Wreckage Examination
The on-scene examination by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA on May 13, 2012, revealed heavily fragmented wreckage scattered across open pasture at an elevation of about 6,800 feet. Debris lay along a linear path 800 feet long and 250 feet wide, oriented on a magnetic heading of 236 degrees. The initial impact point comprised a 30-foot ground scar and a 1-foot-deep crater containing paint chips and broken glass. Pieces of the propeller assembly were also found in the crater.
Further forward, sections of the right wing, airframe, instrument panel, and personal belongings were scattered. The main wreckage, including the tail section, left wing, and cockpit sections, came to rest 200 feet from the initial impact. The engine was found 600 feet forward, with accessories separated except for the propeller governor. Engine examination revealed no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation. The flap actuator was fully retracted, and the landing gear actuator indicated the gear was in transit, near the fully retracted position. Flight control continuity was established for rudder, elevator, and trim cables to the center fuselage, with broken cable ends consistent with overload. The right wing sustained greater impact damage. The propeller and mixture controls were found full forward, and the throttle was out approximately 1 inch. The fuel selector was set to the right tank. The tachometer indicated 2,400 RPM, the airspeed needle was frozen at 208 knots, and the altimeter was set to 29.98 inches Hg. The annual inspection was completed on March 1, 2011, at 4,289.5 airframe hours.
Medical and Toxicological Findings
An autopsy conducted on May 14, 2012, determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing found ethanol in liver (0.085 gm/dl) and muscle (0.026 gm/dl), but the investigation could not determine if this ethanol was from ingestion or postmortem production.