Date & Time:
Jul 12, 1978 at 0758 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 60 Duke
Operator:
Southwest Aircraft Leasing
Registration:
N777HH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Olivia - Lafayette
MSN:
P-109
YOM:
1969
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
5
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total hours on type:
338
Circumstances:
En route from Olivia to Lafayette, Indiana, while in normal cruise, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and turbulences. The airplane went out of control, entered an uncontrolled descent, suffered a general disintegration and crashed in an open field. All six occupants were killed. It was determined that the pilot departed Olivia with the aircraft's weather radar inoperative.
Probable cause:
Airframe failure and subsequent uncontrolled descent after the pilot attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Turbulences associated with clouds and thunderstorm,
- Separation in flight,
- Weather radar inoperative.
- Exceeded designed stress limits of aircraft,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Turbulences associated with clouds and thunderstorm,
- Separation in flight,
- Weather radar inoperative.
Final Report:
N777HH.pdf108.44 KB
