Winn Exploration Company

Cessna 500 Citation

The aircraft was on a flight to a private ranch landing strip at night. The strip had an unlighted windsock at midfield and portable runway edge lights were in use. During arrival, the aircrew estimated the visibility was 3 to 4 miles and reported they would be able to land. Personnel at the ranch heard the aircraft fly over. One of them reported that earlier, the wind had been blowing hard and the air was full of dust, but at the time the aircraft arrived, dust had settled. A deputy sheriff noted that at times, the visibility was good, but at other times, it was poor. The aircraft owner, who was at the ranch, said he could see the aircraft lights at times (in the traffic pattern), but at times, he could not see them. After making two passes, the aircraft crashed in the area where it should have been on a base leg. An exam of the wreckage revealed it was in a left turn during impact. After initial impact, it bounced/slid 663 feet, then hit a tree covered canal levee and burned. No evidence of a preimpact/mechanical malfunction or failure was found. All four occupants were killed.