Tucson - Hermosillo
Flight / Schedule
Tucson - Hermosillo
Aircraft
Beechcraft 300 Super King AirRegistration
N385KA
MSN
FA-42
Year of Manufacture
1985
Operator
KAAZ LLCDate
January 23, 2017 at 12:33 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Private
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Tucson Arizona
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
32.2229°, -110.9748°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On January 23, 2017 at 12:33 PM, Tucson - Hermosillo experienced a crash involving Beechcraft 300 Super King Air, operated by KAAZ LLC, with the event recorded near Tucson Arizona.
The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot and the passenger departed on a cross-country, personal flight in the airplane that the operator had purchased the day before the accident. Shortly after takeoff from runway 11L, after reaching an altitude of about 100 to 150 ft above the runway in a nose-high pitch attitude, the airplane rolled left to an inverted position as its nose dropped, and it descended to terrain impact on airport property, consistent with an aerodynamic stall. Post-accident examination of the accident site revealed propeller strike marks separated at distances consistent with both propellers rotating at the speed required for takeoff and in a normal blade angle range of operation at impact. Both engines exhibited rotational scoring signatures that indicated the engines were producing symmetrical power and were most likely operating in the mid-to upper-power range at impact. The engines did not display any pre-impact anomalies or distress that would have precluded normal engine operation before impact. No evidence was found of any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Toxicology testing revealed the pilot's use of multiple psychoactive substances including marijuana, venlafaxine, amphetamine, pseudoephedrine, clonazepam, and pheniramine. The wide variety of psychoactive effects of these medications precludes predicting the specific effects of their use in combination. However, it is likely that the pilot was impaired by the effects of the combination of psychoactive substances he was using and that those effects contributed to his loss of control. The investigation was unable to obtain medical records regarding any underlying neuropsychiatric disease(s); therefore, whether these may have contributed to the accident circumstances could not be determined.
Aircraft reference details include registration N385KA, MSN FA-42, year of manufacture 1985.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 32.2229°, -110.9748°.
Fatalities
Total
2
Crew
1
Passengers
1
Other
0
Crash Summary
The pilot and the passenger departed on a cross-country, personal flight in the airplane that the operator had purchased the day before the accident. Shortly after takeoff from runway 11L, after reaching an altitude of about 100 to 150 ft above the runway in a nose-high pitch attitude, the airplane rolled left to an inverted position as its nose dropped, and it descended to terrain impact on airport property, consistent with an aerodynamic stall. Post-accident examination of the accident site revealed propeller strike marks separated at distances consistent with both propellers rotating at the speed required for takeoff and in a normal blade angle range of operation at impact. Both engines exhibited rotational scoring signatures that indicated the engines were producing symmetrical power and were most likely operating in the mid-to upper-power range at impact. The engines did not display any pre-impact anomalies or distress that would have precluded normal engine operation before impact. No evidence was found of any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Toxicology testing revealed the pilot's use of multiple psychoactive substances including marijuana, venlafaxine, amphetamine, pseudoephedrine, clonazepam, and pheniramine. The wide variety of psychoactive effects of these medications precludes predicting the specific effects of their use in combination. However, it is likely that the pilot was impaired by the effects of the combination of psychoactive substances he was using and that those effects contributed to his loss of control. The investigation was unable to obtain medical records regarding any underlying neuropsychiatric disease(s); therefore, whether these may have contributed to the accident circumstances could not be determined.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
1
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 2
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Tucson - Hermosillo
Operator
KAAZ LLCFlight Type
Private
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
