Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Quinlan

N100HC and N33177 collided due to the failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual separation. The pilot-in-command of N100HC made a poor decision by performing the simulated emergency descent on a low altitude airway. The southerly descending maneuver was performed between 5,500 and 3,500 feet, which coincided with the westerly cruising altitude of N33177. The pilot of N33177 would have been hindered to an unknown degree by the high wing design of the aircraft from perceiving N100HC as it descended at a convergence angle of about 90°. The crew of N100HC saw N33177 just prior to collision and initiated an unsuccessful rolling pull-up evasive maneuver. A portion of the right wing and the empennage of N33177 were separated during the collision resulting in its uncontrolled vertical descent. Post crash fire consumed the wreckage. Damage to N100HC led to a forced landing 7 1/2 miles from the mid air collision. Both pilots on board the Beech were unhurt.