What happened
On the night of September 11, 2003, a Beechcraft B200 King Air, registration N600BV, departed Funchal Airport (Madeira) at 20:54 UTC, bound for Málaga, Spain. The aircraft was carrying a single pilot and nine passengers, including six adults and three children.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft began a sequence of maneuvers that led to its disappearance. At 20:55, radar tracked the aircraft at 2,200 feet while it was climbing. Within seconds, the aircraft began a left turn, increasing its bank angle, speed, and rate of descent. By 20:56, radar data showed the aircraft flying perpendicular to its planned route, descending at a rate of approximately 5,000 feet per minute with a steep 12-degree descent angle. The aircraft was last detected at an altitude of 900 feet, flying in a direction opposite to its intended flight path. The aircraft disappeared from radar shortly thereafter, having likely impacted the sea.
The investigation
The GPIAAF investigation faced significant challenges as the aircraft could not be recovered from the seabed due to the irregular, rocky terrain. While some wreckage and human remains were located approximately one mile from the coast near Ponta de S. Lourenço, the main fuselage, engines, and cockpit were never found.
The investigation examined the pilot's experience, noting he was a 43-year-old British citizen of Tunisian origin with a private pilot license. While qualified for multi-engine and instrument flight, his total flight time was limited to 332 hours, with less than 100 hours specifically in the B200 model. The investigation also reviewed radar snapshots, meteorological conditions, and the aircraft's maintenance history, which indicated the plane was a recent rental with no known mechanical issues.
Findings
- The pilot's flying experience was considered limited, discontinuous, and performed without supervision.
- The aircraft was operating at night, a high-complexity environment for a single pilot in the B200 model, especially at Madeira Airport.
- There was no evidence of structural failure, engine failure, or electrical malfunction, as the transponder remained active until the final radar detection.
- The most probable cause of the accident was spatial disorientation of the pilot, potentially triggered by an inadvertent left turn while attempting to manage new flight parameters.
- The aircraft impacted the water at a high speed, exceeding 230 knots, with a significant bank angle of over 50 degrees to the left.