1 fatality

1986-11-07: Beechcraft E18 (N149AA) — Springdale Air Service — Texarkana, United States of America

Texarkana, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On November 7, 1986, a Beechcraft E18 (registration N149AA) operated by Springdale Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Texarkana, United States of America during landing or approach. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Loss of control during approach due to fog, improper in-flight planning/decision, improper use of equipment/aircraft, dark night, inaccurate weather evaluation, self-induced pressure, attempted VFR flight into IMC, and inadvertent stall/spin, resulting in… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781216950Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot on a positioning flight was killed when the airplane crashed inverted and burned during a turn after declaring VFR conditions and deciding to land on runway 31 in low visibility.

Overview

A positioning flight intended to relocate the airplane for an early Monday morning freight run ended in a crash. The sole pilot was killed when the airplane impacted terrain inverted and burned.

Accident Sequence

During the approach, the pilot called for a missed approach. After receiving clearance, the pilot declared that he was in visual flight rules (VFR) conditions and believed he would land on runway 31. While executing a turn, the airplane struck the ground in an inverted attitude and caught fire.

Weather Conditions

Weather recorded at the airport 21 minutes before the accident included an indefinite ceiling of 100 feet, sky obscured, and visibility of 1/4 mile in fog.

Probable Cause

The official probable cause was determined as a loss of control during the approach, with contributing factors including fog, the pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision-making, improper use of equipment, dark night conditions, inaccurate weather evaluation, self-induced pressure, attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and an inadvertent stall/spin. This led to an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.