Date & Time:
May 28, 1975 at 2222 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft E18
Operator:
Registration:
N29N
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Amarillo - Dallas
MSN:
BA-304
YOM:
1957
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
Captain / Total hours on type:
1425
Circumstances:
While on a night mail flight from Amarillo to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions. The aircraft descended into ground in an area of extremely violent weather and crashed in a mountainous area located near Claude. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found. The wreckage was discovered on 29 August 1975 in an isolated area. The aircraft was totally destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Instruments misread or failed to read,
- Low ceiling,
- Rain,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Visibility limited to half a mile or less,
- Haze.
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Instruments misread or failed to read,
- Low ceiling,
- Rain,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Visibility limited to half a mile or less,
- Haze.
Final Report:
N29N.pdf124.15 KB
