Overview
On September 20, 2012, about 1545 central daylight time, a Beech 95-C55 airplane, registration N265Q, ditched into the Gulf of Mexico. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane sank in deep water and was not recovered. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Government Auctions Online LLC, Henderson, Nevada, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.
The flight departed Baytown Airport (KHPY), Baytown, Texas, at about 1400, and was destined for Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ), Sarasota, Florida.
Events
According to the pilot's statement to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), while en route, the pilot detected smoke in the cockpit. To troubleshoot, he turned off the master switch. Due to reduced visibility, he vented the smoke by opening the cabin door and the pilot’s storm window. The pilot and passenger saw flames through a gap between the cockpit panel and glare shield. The pilot activated the emergency locator beacon and descended to ditch the airplane in the water. After ditching, the pilot and passenger exited the airplane, donned personal flotation devices, and were rescued by the United States Coast Guard.
Post-Accident
Because of the accident location, the airplane was not recovered for examination. Despite multiple attempts, the pilot did not complete an NTSB Form 6120. Information was not available to determine if previous maintenance issues existed. A review of the FAA Service Difficulty Reporting database revealed no entries for the accident airplane. Without recovery of the wreckage, an examination was not possible and the source of the fire could not be determined.