At 1610 Pacific time, the airplane impacted terrain while maneuvering at low altitude. The pilot and four passengers were killed, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual conditions prevailed. Witnesses reported the pilot had taken four friends attending an outdoor working party on a local flight. The airplane made two to three passes over the work party. On the final pass, witnesses reported the airplane was between 100 and 300 feet agl. The airplane made a sudden steep climbing left turn, appeared to decelerate at the top of the climbing turn, then dropped towards the ground nose-first, impacting a field. The engines could be heard “running perfectly” throughout the maneuver.
May 9, 2009, Minden, Nev., Beech 95-A55 Baron
Witnesses reported the pilot had taken four friends attending an outdoor working party on a local flight. The airplane made two to three passes over the work party. On the final pass, witnesses reported the airplane was between 100 and 300 feet agl. The airplane made a sudden steep climbing left turn, appeared to decelerate at the top of the climbing turn, then dropped towards the ground nose-first, impacting a field. The engines could be heard "running perfectly" throughout the maneuver.
Key Takeaways:
- A low-altitude flight for entertainment resulted in a fatal crash, killing the pilot and four passengers, and substantially damaging the airplane.
- The accident occurred during a low-altitude pass (100-300 ft agl) over an outdoor work party, concluding with a sudden steep climbing turn followed by a nose-first drop.
- Witnesses confirmed the engines were running normally throughout the maneuver, indicating that engine failure was not a contributing factor.
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