History of Flight
On January 23, 2017, at approximately 1233 mountain standard time, a Beech 300 airplane, registered as N385KA, was destroyed when it struck terrain shortly after takeoff from runway 11L at Tucson International Airport (TUS) in Tucson, Arizona. The airline transport pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by KAAZ, LLC under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the cross-country personal flight to Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
A witness about 0.7 mile southwest of the runway midfield observed the airplane take off and then pitch up rapidly during the initial climb. After reaching between 100 and 150 feet above the runway, the airplane suddenly yawed left while maintaining a nose-up attitude. It appeared to slow, leading the witness to believe it was about to stall. The left wing dropped, the airplane rolled left to an inverted position as the nose dropped, and it struck the ground inverted.
Another witness near the approach end of runway 11L described the airplane yawing left to right while climbing. It then rolled left, eventually becoming inverted, in a motion similar to a barrel roll, before exiting his view.
A surveillance camera on the terminal building roof, 0.2 mile northwest of the impact point, captured the airplane entering its field of view in a level attitude. About one second later, the nose dropped, and the airplane rolled left and descended. Its wings became nearly vertical, and it impacted terrain. The video quality was poor; airspeed or altitude could not be determined.
Another camera on a building about 0.7 mile southwest of runway 11L, facing northeast, captured the airplane passing in front of the control tower in a slight nose-up attitude while gradually climbing before exiting the frame. No smoke or vapors were observed before impact.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 56, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land rating and type ratings in DA-200, SA-227, BE300, CL604-605, and CASA 212 airplanes. He had commercial privileges in single-engine land and sea airplanes. He was issued a first-class FAA medical certificate on April 5, 2016, with no limitations.
He did not report flight experience on his most recent medical certificate application. On a July 2014 application, he reported 12,000 total hours with 400 hours in the previous 6 months. On July 2013, he did not report flight time. On October 2012, he reported 12,000 total hours with 400 hours in 6 months. On March 2012, he reported 9,000 total hours with 500 hours in 6 months. His personal logbooks were not available.
In a resume submitted to his last employer in October 2016, he reported 15,100 total hours, including 13,000 as pilot-in-command; 9,500 hours in multi-engine aircraft; over 9,000 in turboprops; 3,500 in jets; and 3,900 in amphibious/float aircraft. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1979 to 1988 and later flew as a line and corporate pilot, as well as a contracted pilot in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, and Saudi Arabia.
Aircraft Information
The eight-seat, twin-engine, low-wing, retractable-landing-gear airplane, serial number FA-42, was manufactured in 1985. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-60 turboprop engines, each rated at 1,050 horsepower, driving Hartzell HC-B4MP-3B four-bladed constant-speed propellers with feathering and reversing capabilities. The most recent airframe, engine, and propeller inspections were completed on January 19, 2017, at a total airframe time of 9,962.7 hours.
On January 22, 2017, the airplane was flown from Long Beach, California, to Tucson as a pre-buy and post-maintenance test flight for KAAZ, LLC to purchase it. During that flight, the airplane was still under the seller's ownership. The seller's contracted pilot flew, with the accident pilot and a pilot-rated passenger on board. The seller's pilot reported that the accident pilot did not fly. After the flight, the sale was completed and ownership transferred. In a post-flight conversation with a KAAZ, LLC representative, the accident pilot reported no issues, and the representative believed he had flown the airplane. The representative had been told that the pilot-rated passenger would be pilot-in-command and that the accident pilot would be allowed to fly; she was unaware that he did not fly and that the seller's pilot was on board.
Meteorological Information
The TUS special weather observation at 1240 reported wind from 240° at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling overcast at 6,000 feet above ground level, temperature 19°C, dew point 6°C, and altimeter 29.89 inches of mercury. The 2-minute average wind in the 5 minutes surrounding the accident was from 230° magnetic at 13 to 15 knots with gusts to 22 knots. Runway 11L had a magnetic heading of 123°, resulting in a 12- to 14-knot crosswind and a 4-knot tailwind based on sustained wind, and a 21-knot crosswind and 6-knot tailwind based on peak gust.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was on the ramp adjacent to the south terminal. The initial impact point was about 4,000 feet from the departure end of runway 11L. A debris path extended north about 650 feet across the ramp to the main wreckage, which rested against an 8-foot-tall concrete wall. A postimpact fire damaged the wreckage. All major structural components were within the debris path.
The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a slash mark from the left propeller on the ground about 250 feet from the terminal building. Four propeller strike marks from the left propeller and three from the right propeller were observed, with 25 to 27 inches between marks. According to Hartzell Propeller Inc., these distances suggested rotation at or near the rated 1,700 rpm at the estimated impact velocity.
The debris path from the FIPC to the main wreckage was marked by charred black stains. A portion of the right wing spar was found 52 feet from the FIPC; the right wing tip was 223 feet away. The left propeller assembly was 470 feet east of the FIPC; three of four blades were still attached, and the fourth was near the main wreckage.
The main wreckage consisted of the cabin, fuselage, portions of both wings, compression sections of both engines, the right propeller, and the empennage. These were damaged by impact and burned by the postimpact fire. The right propeller assembly was under the wreckage; three blades attached, the fourth 460 feet north. The cockpit area was displaced rearward into the cabin; the instrument panel was mostly consumed by fire.
The left wing was separated from the fuselage; both aileron cables were separated at the root. The inboard portion of the right wing was held to the fuselage only by flight control cables. The left and right flaps were retracted on their tracks. The left inboard flap actuator measured 4 inches, corresponding to a 10° extended position; the left outboard actuator was partially melted. The right inboard and outboard actuators measured 2.2 inches, corresponding to a retracted position.
The empennage separated from the fuselage on the left side and was bent to the right; the right side remained attached by skin. The emergency locator transmitter was intact. The elevator cable and pushrods were connected; the right and left elevator trim actuators measured 1.5 and 1.4 inches, respectively, corresponding to a 10° tab-down position. Both cables were connected to the rudder trim servo actuator. The rudder boost switch was in the "RUDDER BOOST" position. The main and nose landing gear were retracted. Flight control cable continuity was established from each cockpit control to the associated flight control.
Both engines exhibited rotational scoring signatures indicating symmetrical power, and according to a Pratt & Whitney specialist, were likely operating in the mid- to upper-power range at impact. No preimpact anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation.
The blades of both propellers had deep chordwise/rotational scoring on their camber sides. No discrepancies were noted that would have prevented normal operation. All damage was consistent with high impact forces. According to the Hartzell specialist, both propellers were rotating under power and in the normal blade angle range; neither appeared feathered or near the reverse stop. Damage suggested the right propeller was operating at a higher blade angle and power than the left.
The pilot occupied the front left seat and was using the 4-point restraint system. The passenger occupied the front right seat; the restraint system was found unbuckled.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt force and thermal injuries. No significant natural disease was identified.
Toxicology testing by AXIS Forensic Toxicology found tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at 6.4 ng/ml and its metabolite THC-COOH at 22.8 ng/ml in cavity blood. Additionally, amphetamine at 238 ng/ml and pseudoephedrine at 452 ng/ml were found in cavity blood. Amphetamine and 7-aminoclonazepam were detected in urine.
FAA toxicology testing identified venlafaxine and its metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine, alfuzosin, and pseudoephedrine in liver and cavity blood. Amphetamine was found at 265 ng/ml, THC at 10.9 ng/ml, and THC-COOH at 15.1 ng/ml in cavity blood. Amphetamine and pheniramine were detected in liver; THC in lung; and THC-COOH in liver and urine.
The source describes the effects of these substances but does not establish a causal link to the accident.