History of Flight
On June 2, 2022, about 1218 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 19A Musketeer airplane, N7641R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oroville Municipal Airport (OVE), Oroville, California. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
A witness, who was also a student of the accident pilot, captured video of the accident flight. The video showed the pilot and passenger complete an engine run-up, taxi to runway 13, and begin a ground run. Data from an onboard recorder indicated the airplane started the ground run about 1218:00. The engine sounded smooth as the airplane lifted off after about 1,300 ft and transitioned into a climb. About 15 seconds later, it began to descend. About 4 seconds after that, it started another climb, immediately followed by a right turn. The data recorder showed a peak altitude of about 282 ft mean sea level (about 107 ft above ground level) at 1218:39 before descending. The rate of turn increased, and the video ended. The final data point at 1218:43 recorded an altitude of 272 ft msl and a groundspeed of 53 kts. The witness reported the airplane impacted the ground seconds after he stopped recording to assist the occupants.
The witness stated that about two weeks before the accident, he flew the accident airplane with the pilot. After an uneventful preflight and engine run-up, they attempted two takeoffs on runway 31, both aborted after the airplane failed to climb. The witness reported that the pilot and pilot-rated passenger planned to fly on the accident day to troubleshoot the performance deficiency.
Personnel Information
According to the pilot-rated passenger’s flight logbook for the previous 12 months, he had accumulated most of his flight time in Cessna 172 and 182 model airplanes. The accident pilot’s recent flight record was not recovered, but a logbook from 2011 to 2014 showed most of his experience during that timeframe was in Cessna 172 airplanes. The witness reported that the accident pilot owned and operated various Cessna 172 airplanes in his flight history.
The witness, a student of the pilot, communicated his concerns on the morning of the accident about the airplane “not wanting to fly.” The pilot responded that “the airplane wants to fly” and “the airplane wants to climb…this airplane was born to fly.” The witness said he had always felt the pilot was safety-minded before the accident.
Aircraft Information
According to the witness, about two weeks before the accident, the pilot decided to fly the airplane after it had sat in its hangar for some time. The airplane’s records indicated it was last flown about six months prior. They filled the tanks with 20 gallons of fuel each, completed a preflight and engine run-up, and began a takeoff roll on runway 31. The witness was flying from the left seat. After liftoff, at about 40 ft above ground level, the airplane “stopped climbing, but didn’t appear to lose any rpms.” The pilot took control, reduced power, and landed on the remaining runway. A subsequent takeoff attempt had the same result. The pilot then called the pilot-rated passenger, an experienced flight instructor, to help “figure out what was happening with it.”
Fuel System and Selector
The fuel system consists of a tank in each wing leading edge, each with a capacity of 29.9 gallons (0.5 gallons unusable per side). Fuel flows from the selected tank through a fuel selector valve, fuel strainer, and electric fuel boost pump to the engine-driven pump and carburetor. The pilot’s operating handbook states: “The fuel selector valve handle is located on the floorboards between the pilot and copilot seats. Takeoffs and landings should be made using the tank that is more nearly full. If the engine stops because of insufficient fuel, refer to the EMERGENCY PROCEDURES Section for the Air Start procedures.”
The accident airplane was equipped with a fuel selector stop on the selector valve guard as required by FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 85-05-02. A maintenance logbook entry from November 6, 2021, showed inspection of the fuel selector per AD 75-01-04, which requires replacement of the selector valve guard and inspection for binding and complete shutoff.
In the Beech Musketeer, the fuel selector handle has a pointer and a handle end. To select a tank, the operator rotates the handle until the pointer faces the desired tank, placing the handle end opposite that tank. In Cessna 172 and 182 models, the operator places the handle over the desired tank. The witness reported that during the previous flight two weeks earlier, he observed the pilot place the handle end of the fuel selector over the L TANK position, as in a Cessna, not as required for the accident airplane.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest in an approximately 40° nose-down attitude on a heading of about 097° magnetic, about 500 ft south of the departure end of runway 13. All major structures were accounted for. The left wing remained attached; the right wing was partially separated at the root. The fuselage frame was deformed midspan, and the tail canted left. The stabilator and rudder remained attached. The engine remained attached to the firewall, which was wrapped around the accessory case. Both propeller blades were attached to the hub, which was still connected to the crankshaft.
The fuel selector was found between the RIGHT tank detent and the OFF position. It was deformed with upward bending at its aft end; the left silver handle alignment bracket also bent upward. Disassembly revealed metallic particles along the ports, but no obstructions.
Postaccident examination found no preimpact mechanical anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. Flight control continuity for ailerons, rudder, and stabilator was established. Both wing flaps were retracted. Fuel was observed in the left tank; a trace amount was in the right tank, which was intact, but the fuel line was fractured at the wing root. An odor of 100 low-lead aviation gasoline was beneath the right wing.
Mechanical continuity was established throughout the rotating group, valvetrain, and accessory section. Thumb compression was obtained in proper firing order on all four cylinders, and valves displayed normal lift. A borescope examination of the cylinders showed normal piston face and valve signatures, with no indication of catastrophic engine failure, detonation, or foreign object ingestion.
Additional Information
The pilot’s operating handbook (POH) lists stall speeds in a power OFF configuration at 2,200 lbs: flaps up, level attitude – 58 kts; 30° bank – 63 kts; 45° bank – 70 kts; 60° bank – 86 kts. A note states “maximum altitude loss during a normal stall recovery is approximately 300 ft.”
A weight and balance calculation using the only basic empty weight found in records, pilot and passenger weights of 220 lbs each, estimated baggage of 10 lbs, and fuel weight of 240 lbs (40 gallons) gave a total weight of about 2,180 lbs and a moment of 2,361 in-lbs. The POH moment range for a 2,200-lb weight class is 2,463 to 2,603 in-lbs. The CG was calculated as 108.32 inches from the datum; the forward limit is 112 inches aft, aft limit 118.3 inches.
Using the POH takeoff chart (full throttle, mixture leaned then enriched, flaps up, 2,200 lbs, level dry hard surface) with an approximate wind component of 17-kt gusts and 88°F outside air temperature, the airplane would have required about 1,000 ft of runway for takeoff.
The FAA-H-8083-3C Airplane Flying Handbook describes accelerated stalls, noting that a stall can occur at higher indicated airspeeds during turns or abrupt maneuvers, and that failure to recover may result in a spin.
According to FAA-H-8083-25B Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, a nose-heavy condition causes problems in controlling and raising the nose, especially during takeoff and landing. The FAA Weight and Balance Handbook states it is more difficult to take off and gain altitude in a nose-heavy aircraft, and the aircraft tends to drop its nose when throttle is reduced.
Medical and Pathological Information
The coroner determined the pilot’s cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. A forensic pathologist reported the pilot’s heart had a 50% occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary and 90% occlusion of the first diagonal branch.
Tests and Research
A sound analysis of the accident flight video showed engine speed at 2,500 rpm when airborne, with smooth operation. About 25 seconds later (around 1218:40), the sound intensity increased and the spectrum included higher frequencies, consistent with a possible engine anomaly.