A Beech C23 single-engine Sundowner (tail number N76SB) was destroyed on Dec. 3 when it was involved in an accident near Midland, Va. The pilot, Simmie Adams, 62, was fatally injured.
Tracking data collected by the NTSB revealed that the pilot
departed from runway 15 at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport at about 1:08 p.m. EDT and
conducted several practice instrument approaches to Stafford Regional Airport and
Culpeper Regional Airport before returning to Warrenton-Fauquier to land.
According to preliminary information obtained from air
traffic control, the pilot provided several weather reports during his flight that
included “cloud heights.”
After receiving the weather reports, air traffic controllers
cleared Adams to return to Warren-Fauquier and land on runway 33. Adams advised
air traffic control that he intended to cancel his instrument flight rules
clearance in the air once he descended below the clouds.
Tracking data revealed that the airplane descended toward
runway 33 and was lost about 4,350 feet short of runway 33. The pilot made no
distress calls over the radio during the approach, the NTSB said in their report.
The NTSB said the airplane collided with 80-ft-tall hardwood
trees on a 330-degree heading about 0.35 miles east of runway 33.
“There was a post-accident fire that consumed most of the
forward fuselage and cockpit,” the NTSB said. “The right wing separated during
the impact with trees.”
Recorded weather near the time of the accident included 1
¾-mile visibility in mist and a cloud ceiling of 300 ft.
The NTSB continues to investigate the accident.
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