History of Flight
On January 20, 2015, about 2005 Pacific standard time, a Beech 36, N999CJ, departed cruise flight and impacted desert terrain near Mountain Pass, California. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed California City Municipal Airport (L71) about 1910 with a planned destination of Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Nevada.
Federal Aviation Administration radar and voice communications indicated the airplane contacted ATC at 1911 after departure. The flight climbed to a cruise altitude of 7,500 ft mean sea level. About 1954, an ATC controller advised the pilot of poor radar coverage; the pilot acknowledged. Radar contact was reestablished about 2001 for about one minute before being lost again at about 7,400 ft msl. At 2014, the controller attempted to contact the pilot without response. An Alert Notice was issued, and a search began.
The pilot carried a personal GPS locator that reported its location every 10 minutes. It was activated at 1910 and sent locations until 2001. The following day, two signals at 1433 and 1713 led to the wreckage at an elevation of 3,335 ft msl, about 0.4 nautical miles northwest of the last radar return.
Personnel Information
The 71-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, single-engine sea, multiengine land, instrument airplane, and glider. He held a third-class FAA medical certificate issued February 20, 2013, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses. On a previous medical application in February 2011, he reported 15,000 total hours of flight experience. Logbook entries from May 19, 2014, showed his last logged flight before the accident was September 4, 2014. His most recent flight review was April 25, 2014. There were no entries for night or instrument flight. He owned the airplane since November 25, 2008. The pilot's son reported the pilot did not normally fly at night and was concerned about the late departure; the pilot needed to be in Henderson for a doctor's appointment the next morning.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1968, equipped with a Continental Motors IO-520 series reciprocating engine. Total airframe time at the most recent annual inspection on June 16, 2014, was 5,009.3 hours. The tachometer read 5,100.2 hours at the accident scene. Engine total time at last inspection was 1,492.81 hours, with time since major overhaul of 239.41 hours.
Meteorological Information
The nearest weather station, located about 17 nm north-northwest, recorded at 1951: temperature 46°C, dew point 32°C, wind from 131° at 3 knots gusting to 8. Weather radar showed an extensive area of light reflectivity with small isolated areas of moderate reflectivity. Infrared satellite imagery indicated cloudy conditions at the accident location, with cloud layers about 19,200 ft and 26,400 ft. A model sounding indicated the freezing level was likely about 9,000 ft msl. An AIRMET for moderate ice was valid in the area between the freezing level and 22,000 ft. No SIGMET advisories were valid. About 2020, a Cessna 172 pilot near the accident site reported strong downdrafts at 10,000 ft msl. The extent of the pilot's familiarization with forecast weather could not be determined; earlier that day, he contacted Lockheed Martin Flight Service only about a temporary flight restriction, with no weather discussion or flight plan filed. Astronomical data showed sunset at 1658, end of civil twilight at 1726, and moonset at 1737.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The terrain was mostly flat, sandy desert. The first identified point of contact was a ground scar. The debris field was 1,000 feet long, oriented on a magnetic heading of 160°. The airplane impacted in a left-wing-low attitude, with the nose contacting the ground at an approximately 45° nose-low attitude. The airplane was highly fragmented. Major structures observed included the outboard half of the right wing with attached aileron, cabin roof, lower aft cabin and rear fuselage, and tail assembly without elevators. No evidence of fire was found. The separated fuel selector valve was positioned to the left-wing tank. The 406-MHz emergency locator transmitter was separated and fragmented.
The engine was separated from the airframe, found upright next to a small dirt mound about 545 ft from the initial impact crater. All cylinders remained attached. The propeller governor was separated with the case open. The 3-bladed propeller was found near the initial impact crater; blades displayed various damage including chordwise scratching, reverse bending, and a separated tip. Examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy listed the cause of death as massive blunt trauma. Toxicological testing of the pilot was positive for amlodipine, metoprolol, and valsartan, which the pilot had reported on his most recent FAA medical certificate application.