History of Flight
On June 18, 2022, at 0655 mountain standard time, a Beech E-35, registration N13AR, was destroyed in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona. The student pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
According to ADS-B data, the airplane departed Glendale Municipal Airport (GEU) at about 0625. After a normal takeoff from runway 19, the pilot conducted maneuvers southward before turning west toward Buckeye Municipal Airport (BKX). About 20 minutes later, the airplane passed south of BKX, then executed a right turn to a northward heading.
Approximately 5 miles north of BKX, the airplane began a descending 270° left turn, followed by a right turn, continuing southbound in what appeared to be a direct approach to runway 17. The airplane performed a low approach, reaching about 200 feet AGL, then entered a level right turn near the midpoint of runway 17. It proceeded beyond a parallel runway heading onto the downwind leg before angling back toward runway 17, maintaining about 200 feet AGL and 63-68 knots. The last ADS-B point at 0654 placed the airplane 0.43 miles west-northwest of the runway 17 threshold.
BKX was equipped with a VirTower traffic monitoring system. Images from the system showed a flight path consistent with the ADS-B data. The VirTower track continued beyond the last ADS-B point, showing the airplane make a right turn to a heading of about 030° before ending near the accident location, 0.22 miles from the approach end of runway 17. A postimpact fire destroyed the airplane. There were no witnesses and no recorded communications from the airplane while in the BKX traffic pattern.
Personnel Information
The flight instructor's logbooks were not located; his experience in the make and model could not be determined. The student pilot's logbook contained only one entry, dated June 11, 2022, indicating 0.5 hours of dual instruction received with the flight instructor, with a note: "Flight with intention of taking off, lost coms holding short." The entry was signed by the flight instructor.
Aircraft Information
The student pilot purchased the airplane on January 25, 2019. The airplane was equipped with a dual yoke.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted flat, sparsely vegetated desert terrain. Ground scars indicated a nose- and left-wing-low attitude. A propeller cut mark was observed. Postimpact fire consumed most of the fuselage, cockpit, and inboard wing portions. Both wing leading edges showed aft crushing, with the left wing crushed further aft.
Flight control continuity was verified to all surfaces. The left and right flaps were retracted; the flap control handle position could not be determined. All landing gear were extended. Both propeller blades had leading edge polishing and chordwise scratches; one blade bent aft about 45° near midpoint, the other about 80° about one-third from the hub. Engine continuity, cylinder compression, and valvetrain were verified. Top spark plugs had normal burn signatures. No preimpact mechanical anomalies were found.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner performed autopsies. The student pilot's cause of death was blunt force injuries; manner of death, accident. His heart was enlarged (625 grams; upper limit normal ~570 grams for 270-pound male). Other cardiac measurements were within normal ranges except for 25% narrowing of the right coronary artery. Toxicology detected phentermine in cavity blood and urine. Phentermine is a weight-loss medication, Schedule IV controlled substance, with potential adverse cardiovascular effects. The FAA considers it a "do not issue/do not fly" medication.
The flight instructor's cause of death was blunt force and thermal injuries; manner, accident. No significant natural disease was identified. He initially survived and received blood transfusions; toxicology results were not considered useful due to donated blood products.