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King Air 350 Accident Proved to Be Fatal Misstep

A fatal 2019 King Air 350 accident near Dallas exhibited all the signs of a random pilot error.

A fatal King Air 350 accident in 2019 near Dallas exhibited all the signs of a random pilot error. [Glenn Watson]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A Beechcraft King Air 350 crashed shortly after takeoff due to a left engine power loss, with the pilot's incorrect reaction of pressing the left rudder pedal leading to an irrecoverable loss of control.
  • The NTSB speculated the engine power loss might stem from a faulty friction setting on the left power lever, a known King Air susceptibility, though wreckage damage prevented confirmation.
  • Despite the pilot's extensive experience, he was known for not consistently using checklists, and critical pre-takeoff procedures were not recorded, contributing to the failure to follow emergency protocols.
  • The article's author found the NTSB's stated probable cause vague, suggesting the specific fatal error of pressing the wrong rudder pedal was a critical human mistake not directly attributable to the pilot's general non-adherence to procedures.
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On June 30, 2019, a Beechcraft King Air 350 twin turboprop, leaving Addison Airport (KADS) near Dallas on a flight to Florida, crashed into a hangar beside the runway. Either the impact or the ensuing explosion and fire killed all 10 people aboard.

The catastrophe was recorded by a number of surveillance cameras, some located not far from the point of impact. Video showed the airplane airborne, initially drifting left, then yawing left to an extreme sideslip angle before rapidly rolling into an inverted dive. The sequence took just a few seconds. Once the left wing had dropped, the low altitude made recovery impossible.

Peter Garrison

Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.

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