Accident Overview
On October 31, 2019, at 1131 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft BE-58, registration N959CM, was destroyed when it crashed near Ocala, Florida. The private pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries, and an individual on the ground was seriously injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 maintenance test flight.
Flight History
The pilot had flown into Ocala International Airport Jim Taylor Field (OCF) the previous day with a friend. The friend reported a normal flight except for a fluctuating right engine fuel flow meter. The following day, the pilot asked a mechanic to inspect the fuel transducer. The mechanic removed the fuel flow transducers from both engines and reinstalled them on the opposite engine to diagnose the issue. After several engine test runs, the pilot and mechanic conducted a flight test together.
At 1124, the pilot requested a taxi clearance and asked about a block of airspace for a maintenance test flight. The ground controller cleared the pilot to taxi to runway 18, but the pilot initially taxied to runway 26 and was twice redirected. After takeoff, the pilot was cleared for a right turn to the west but did not acknowledge. The controller repeated the clearance, and the pilot turned left to the east. The controller asked the pilot's intentions, and about 2 minutes after takeoff, the pilot transmitted, "niner charlie mike, we need to return to the field sir." This was the last communication.
Witness Observations
Numerous witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying north at low altitude before entering a steep inverted dive. Some saw the airplane spinning left as it descended. One witness said the left propeller was not turning, and another reported a fire. However, video from a parked car captured the airplane rotating counterclockwise as it impacted a four-lane highway. The right wing struck first, then hit a moving vehicle. The airplane skidded across lanes, struck a concrete curb, spun 180°, and came to rest in a vacant lot. The rudder deflection just before impact was estimated at 20°±4° to the left. No fire or smoke was visible in the video.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane traveled about 150 feet from initial impact. A postimpact fire consumed the fuselage. Continuity of flight controls was established. Flaps and landing gear were retracted. Ground scars showed propeller contact marks. Both wings had breached fuel tanks, with fuel selectors in the "on" position.
The left engine remained attached, with extensive thermal and impact damage. The crankshaft could rotate partially; borescope examination revealed no anomalies. The throttle control arm was installed backward, but the spring was intact and functioned normally.
The right engine separated from the airframe; due to impact and thermal damage, the crankshaft could not rotate. Disassembly found no preimpact anomalies.
Both propeller assemblies showed significant impact damage. The left propeller had chordwise scratches and tip curling on one blade; others had gouges and twisting. The right propeller had similar damage, with missing blade tips.
Fuel flow transducers from both engines were examined; air flowed freely, and disassembly showed no obstructions.
Toxicology Findings
An autopsy determined the pilot's cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Severe abdominal aortic atherosclerosis was noted. Toxicological testing detected diazepam (Valium) and its metabolites nordiazepam and oxazepam, as well as valsartan (a blood pressure medication) in liver and muscle. Chest blood samples contained diazepam at 96 ng/mL, nordiazepam at 94 ng/mL, and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at 0.69 ng/mL. Diazepam is a sedating benzodiazepine that can impair mental and physical abilities. THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana, which can cause alterations in motor behavior, perception, and cognition.