N4245D

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 11, 2013, about 0056 central standard time (cst), a Beechcraft B36TC, N4245D, was destroyed when it impacted the terrain about 2 nautical miles northeast of the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas, during a missed approach. The private pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 91 personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB) about 2347 on November 10, 2013.

Air traffic control radar and communications data indicated that the pilot flew three previous flights on Sunday, November 10, 2013, before the accident flight. The first flight departed Tradewind Airport (TDW), Amarillo, Texas, about 1424 and landed at LBB about 1502. The second flight departed LBB about 1536 and landed at the Collin County Regional Airport (TKI), Dallas, Texas, about 1716. The third flight departed TKI about 2123 and landed at LBB about 2317. The accident flight departed LBB about 2347 with TDW as the intended destination. IFR flight plans were filed for all four flights.

Radar track data indicated that during the flight to TDW, the airplane entered a north/south holding pattern and flew two turns in holding as published at the ZERAR waypoint. About 0032, the Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) cleared the flight for the area navigation (RNAV) Runway 35 approach to TDW. The radar track data showed that the pilot flew the approach; and subsequently, the pilot executed the published missed approach at TDW. About 0039, the pilot contacted ARTCC and reported that he executed the missed approach at TDW due to fog. The flight proceeded back to the ZERAR way point in accordance with the missed approach procedure.

At 0048, ARTCC cleared the flight for the instrument landing system (ILS) Runway 4 approach into AMA, which was about 6 nm from TDW, with an alternate landing airport at the Hale County Airport (PVW), Plainview, Texas, if the instrument approach was unsuccessful. The pilot acknowledged the clearance and no further radio transmissions were made by the pilot. The radar track data indicated the pilot flew the ILS Runway 4 approach to AMA; and then attempted to execute the missed approach. During the missed approach, the airplane departed radar contact and impacted the terrain. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe 48-year-old private pilot held a single-engine airplane land rating which he received on July 16, 1985. He held a third class medical certificate issued on October 24, 2013. During his medical examination, the pilot reported that his total flight time was 410 hours. There was no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) record of an instrument rating being issued to the pilot.

On October 24, 2014, the pilot took the FAA instrument knowledge test that is required to get an instrument rating. However, he received a score of 68 percent on the test, and a passing score is 70 percent. The pilot intended to fly the instrument check ride, but was unable to take the instrument check ride until he passed the instrument knowledge test.

The pilot purchased the accident airplane on October 30, 2013, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The airplane broker who sold the pilot the airplane reported that the pilot intended to have his instrument rating completed prior to purchasing the airplane. The pilot received two days of initial Bonanza training after he purchased the airplane. The initial training consisted of 4 hours of ground instruction followed by 10.5 hours of flight instruction. The flight instructor reported that the pilot had about 400 to 600 hours of flight time in a Cessna 172RG. The pilot did not have any experience with the flight director, autopilot, or the Garmin Nav/Coms. The flight instructor reported they practiced basic air work which included takeoff and landings, stalls, steep turns, unusual attitudes, and emergency procedures. About 2.5 hours of flight time was flown in IMC conditions in which they practiced using the autopilot and flight director, programing the Garmin for instrument approaches, and hand flying in IMC conditions. As a result of the initial Bonanza training, the pilot received a high performance endorsement and a complex airplane endorsement.

Although the accident pilot was checked out in the airplane, he hired another experienced Bonanza pilot to assist him in ferrying the airplane back to Texas. They flew about 15 hours in the next three days. The first day of flying was primarily practicing takeoff and landings. On the two flights en route to Texas, IFR flight plans were filed even though the weather was visual meteorological conditions. The accident pilot did all the flying and they did not fly any instrument approaches. The experienced Bonanza pilot reported that the accident pilot did not have any problems flying the airplane and he did not exhibit any unsafe tendencies. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a Beechcraft B36TC, serial number EA-645, manufactured in 1999. The airplane had a maximum gross weight of 3,850 pounds was configured to seat six occupants. The engine was a Continental IO-520-B2 engine, which was converted to a 300-horsepower IO-550-B (AP) via Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) #SE02881AT on April 10, 2009. The last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on September 24, 2013. The airplane had accumulated a total time of 1,438.9 hours, and the engine had accumulated 319.3 hours since overhaul at the time of the inspection.

The two passengers who flew in the airplane from Dallas to Lubbock on November 10, 2013, reported that the airplane flew fine, all the instruments were in the "green," and that it was a very normal flight. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 2353 on November 10, 2013, the surface weather observation at AMA was: wind 170 degrees at 13 knots; 1/4 mile visibility; fog; sky obscured; vertical visibility 100 feet; temperature 8 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 8 degrees C; altimeter 30.24 inches of mercury.

At 0053 on November 11, 2013, the surface weather observation at AMA was: wind 170 degrees at 10 knots; 1/4 mile visibility; fog; sky obscured; vertical visibility 100 feet; temperature 9 degrees C; dew point 8 degrees C; altimeter 30.23 inches of mercury.

At 1943 on November 10, 2013, the National Weather Service office in Amarillo, Texas, issued a dense fog advisory for much of the Texas Panhandle. This advisory warned of the low visibility conditions throughout the Panhandle because of dense fog, and that the dense fog conditions were expected to persist through 0900.

During the approach to TDW, the air traffic controller provided the pilot with the current weather at AMA since there was no weather reporting at TDW. The current weather at AMA was wind 170 degrees at 13 knots; visibility 1/4 mile with fog obscuration and ceiling variable between 1,400 feet and 1,600 feet.

A witness, who was a Texas State Trooper, reported that at 2230 she was completing an investigation of a vehicle accident located about 3 miles from site of the airplane accident that occurred about 2.5 hours later. She reported that there was heavy ground fog in the area with horizontal visibility limited to about 50 feet. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a Beechcraft B36TC, serial number EA-645, manufactured in 1999. The airplane had a maximum gross weight of 3,850 pounds was configured to seat six occupants. The engine was a Continental IO-520-B2 engine, which was converted to a 300-horsepower IO-550-B (AP) via Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) #SE02881AT on April 10, 2009. The last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on September 24, 2013. The airplane had accumulated a total time of 1,438.9 hours, and the engine had accumulated 319.3 hours since overhaul at the time of the inspection.

The two passengers who flew in the airplane from Dallas to Lubbock on November 10, 2013, reported that the airplane flew fine, all the instruments were in the "green," and that it was a very normal flight. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane impacted a flat, clay dirt pasture on a magnetic heading of about 276 degrees. The debris path was about 1,000 feet long and 175 feet wide. The engine traveled the furthest from the initial impact point. The initial impact ground scar measured about 60 feet long. A green lens piece was found at the initial ground scar. About 60 feet from the initial impact point , a ground scar about 10 feet long was observed with the right elevator balance weight horn protruding into the ground at about an 85 degrees down angle. A burn area about 150 feet by 28 feet extended from the second ground scar. The right wing was fragmented, and pieces of the right wing were found in the debris path from the initial ground scar to where the main wreckage was located about 600 feet from the initial impact point. The propeller was separated from the engine and was found along a barb wire fence about 550 feet from the initial ground scar.

The main wreckage consisted of the cabin aft of the engine firewall, the left wing, the aft baggage compartment, and the empennage, which was found inverted. A ground fire consumed a majority of the fuselage and cockpit instruments, and the left wing exhibited fire damage. The structure around the power quadrant was consumed by fire. The airspeed indicator was located in the debris field, and the pointer was found stuck at 156 knots.

All primary flight control surfaces and flaps were located at the wreckage site. Flight control continuity of all primary flight control cables was confirmed from the cockpit to their respective flight control surfaces, with the cable separations exhibiting signatures consistent with overload. Continuity of the ailero...