History of Flight
On February 22, 2018, at 2108 central standard time, a Beech 58 airplane, N678DD, was destroyed when it struck terrain shortly after departing from Ulysses Airport (ULS), Ulysses, Kansas. The private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The aircraft was privately owned and operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The intended destination was Scott City Municipal Airport (TQK), Scott City, Kansas.
According to the pilot's family, the pilot and passenger had departed TQK earlier that day bound for ULS. Airport security cameras showed the accident airplane arriving at ULS around 1759. The airplane departed the ramp at 2058 and was observed airborne over the runway heading south at 2106. TQK was approximately 57 nautical miles north-northeast of ULS.
A witness driving north on highway 25 near Shorter's at about 2107 observed two red lights and a blue light in the sky, west of the highway and slightly above electrical lines. Shortly after, the lights descended rapidly like a shooting star, followed by an orange flash. She called 911 at 2108 per her phone log.
The airplane impacted a harvested alfalfa field about 5 miles north of ULS. No radar data were associated with the flight, and the pilot was not in contact with air traffic control.
Personnel Information
The pilot held an FAA private pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land and instrument ratings. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on October 16, 2017, with a corrective lenses limitation. On that application, he reported 3,589 total flight hours and 42 hours in the preceding six months. His logbook was not recovered.
Aircraft Information
The Beech 58 (N678DD) was a low-wing, retractable tricycle landing gear, twin-engine airplane powered by two Continental IO-550-C 300-hp engines driving three-bladed constant-speed propellers. Its airworthiness certificate was issued June 23, 1970.
Maintenance records showed the most recent 100-hour inspection was completed May 17, 2017, at a tachometer time of 6,369.2 hours. The last maintenance entry was dated January 13, 2018, at a recording hour meter time of 5,681 hours, indicating a new dry air pump and oil filter were installed. The tachometer and hour meter were not found at the accident site, so total times at the accident could not be determined.
A fuel receipt found at the site indicated the airplane was refueled on February 7, 2018, at TQK with 65.4 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. Fuel facility inspection records from TQK showed sump checks on January 19, 2018 (pre-accident) and February 27, 2018 (post-accident) found no contamination.
Meteorological Information
The 2108 recorded observation at ULS included wind from 150° at 12 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature -3°C, dew point -4°C, and altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury. Moonrise and moonset calculator data for Hutchinson, Kansas (about 190 miles east of Ulysses) indicated that at 2106, the moon was at an altitude of 47° with a heading of 249°, and illumination at meridian passing (about 1816) was 46.4%.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck the ground in a left-wing-low, nose-down attitude and was severely fragmented. A post-impact fire consumed portions of the airframe. The main wreckage came to rest on a heading of 230° at 3,060 ft mean sea level, with engines separated. The wreckage path was about 570 ft long oriented on a heading of about 235°.
All flight control surfaces and major components were present, but continuity could not be confirmed due to impact damage. Elevator, rudder, and trim cables were traced continuously from tail to forward floorboard. Left and right elevator trim actuators were found in a 15° tab down (nose-up) position; rudder trim was neutral. Right wing flap actuator indicated a flap setting between 0° and 5°; left flap actuator corresponded to 0°. Outboard fuel caps were installed. The landing gear was in the retracted position based on actuator position.
Both fuel selectors were found in the ON position. One fuel strainer screen was free of debris. The autopilot selector was in the heading position. Instruments were impact damaged and unreadable.
Propeller blades exhibited S-bending, polishing, chordwise scratching, and leading-edge gouging consistent with engines producing power at impact. Examination of both engines revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies. The left engine had continuity and compression except for cylinder No. 6 (impact damaged). The right engine could not be rotated due to damage. Disassembly showed no internal anomalies. Both magnetos produced spark after adjustment. Fuel injectors were clear except for two separated injectors. Spark plugs showed normal wear except cylinder No. 6 right engine (impact damaged).
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Grant County Coroner determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt injuries, manner of death as airplane crash. Mild atherosclerosis of the aorta was noted, but no other significant natural disease was identified.
Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected a small amount of ethanol in heart (but not muscle) consistent with post-mortem production. No hazardous medications or illicit drugs were detected.