History of Flight
On September 24, 2017, about 1829 central daylight time, a Beech C35, N5958C, departed runway 01 at Harrell Field Airport in Camden, Arkansas, for a cross-country flight to Saline County Regional Airport in Benton, Arkansas. According to the pilot's wife, the pilot had invited a pilot-rated passenger to accompany him. Earlier that day, they flew from Saline County to Gastons Airport in Lakeview, Arkansas, and then proceeded to Harrell Field. A fuel receipt indicated that the pilot purchased 27.35 gallons of fuel at 1759. The pilot texted his wife around 1815 that he was heading home.
A handheld GPS device recorded the airplane taxiing to the runway, taking off, and accelerating to a maximum groundspeed of 67 knots at 1828:36. The airplane then slowed while maintaining runway heading, reaching a maximum GPS altitude of 298 ft (about 170 ft above ground level) at 1828:52. The last GPS point at 1829:08 showed the airplane over the runway on a northerly heading at 253 ft GPS altitude (about 120 ft above ground level) and 57 knots groundspeed.
Two witnesses observed the airplane. One saw it flying just above treetops, then begin a left turn and descend. Another witness noted the airplane was not gaining altitude and later saw it had crashed in a field.
A security camera video from a nearby convenience store recorded the airplane in a steep left turning dive before impact and subsequent fire. No inflight fire was observed in the video.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 42, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument ratings, as well as a flight instructor certificate. His most recent FAA second-class medical was issued on August 19, 2009, and expired on August 31, 2014. However, he was an active UH-60 helicopter pilot for the Arkansas Air National Guard and had a military flight physical on October 22, 2016, which allowed him to operate under 14 CFR 61.23(b)(9) without a medical certificate for domestic flights. His Army records showed 2,175.7 total flight hours, with 1,844.3 in military helicopters and 331.4 in civilian airplanes. He had 440 hours in the accident airplane make and model as of January 27, 2017.
The pilot-rated passenger, age 31, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, and instrument ratings, and a first-class medical certificate issued July 27, 2017, with no restrictions. He reported no flight hours on that medical application; a prior application in 2010 listed 20 hours.
Aircraft Information
The 1952 Beech C35, serial number D-3319, was a four-seat, low-wing, retractable-landing-gear airplane with dual controls. It was powered by a 225-horsepower Continental E-225-8 engine and a Beech 215-107 propeller. It had two 20-gallon main fuel tanks and two 15-gallon tip tanks. The stall speed in wheels-up, flaps-up configuration was 48 knots.
The most recent annual inspection was completed on September 5, 2017, at 5,719.40 hours airframe time and 955.40 hours since engine overhaul. The pilot's wife reported that the airplane started normally the day before the accident, and the pilot commented on the smooth operation of the engine and propeller.
Meteorological Information
At 1815, the automated weather station at Harrell Field reported calm wind, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 28°C, dew point 23°C, and altimeter setting 29.89 inches of mercury. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was in a field on airport property, approximately 172 ft east and 1,000 ft south of the departure end of runway 01. The airplane was upright and oriented on a 200° heading. A ground scar 10 ft long, 4 ft wide, and 1 ft deep preceded the main wreckage. The forward fuselage and cabin were consumed by fire, but the aft fuselage and V-tail empennage survived. The left wing fuel tank cap was found about 4,500 ft south on the left side of the runway, with the locking lever engaged and no damage. The landing gear was down and flaps were up at impact.
Engine examination showed normal spark plug signatures and crankshaft rotation. The factory-installed fuel selector valve was found in the right main fuel tank ("RIGHT") feed position. According to the Pilot Operating Handbook, the fuel selector should be on the left main tank for takeoff.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies performed on both occupants determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing on the pilot detected 26 mg/dl ethanol in urine but not in blood, consistent with postmortem production. The passenger's tests were negative for drugs and alcohol.