Date & Time:
Dec 2, 1998 at 1216 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 501 Citation I
Operator:
Yates Aviation
Registration:
N501EZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Delivery
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mena - Texarkana
MSN:
501-0058
YOM:
1978
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
5874
Aircraft flight cycles:
5436
Circumstances:
The certificated commercial pilot picked up his newly painted airplane for a visual flight to the home base. About 17 miles south of the departure airport, witnesses initially observed the airplane in a 90 degree right bank. It continued to roll to an inverted position while simultaneously nosing down to a near vertical descent. The pilot's second class medical certificate application (July 7, 1997) indicated 3,700 hours flight time. A flight log indicted the pilot flew this aircraft 6.4 hours during the 60 days preceding the accident. No evidence was found that the pilot had not obtained sufficient rest before the flight. There was no evidence found to either suggest a medical cause for incapacitation or to rule out incapacitation for medical reasons. Aircraft maintenance records did not reveal any open discrepancies. All of the airplane was accounted for in the wreckage debris. No evidence of an in-flight fire and/or explosion, or in-flight mechanical and/or flight control malfunction was found.
Probable cause:
The pilot's in flight loss of control for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:
N501EZ.pdf108.9 KB
