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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 18, 1987 · Beech B200 · N1870S

Crystal Bay, NV

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 18, 1987
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Crystal Bay, NV
Aircraft
Beech B200
Tail Number
N1870S
Operator
Richard P Lieberman
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA87FA141

WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN IN IMC, THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT, THE INTENDED DESTINATION. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX ON THE PUBLISHED TRANSITION TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 11,400 FEET. AFTERWARD, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING OUT OF CLOUDS AND MANUEVERING ERRATICALLY IN VMC UNTIL IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WITH NO APPARENT ATTEMPT TO RECOVER. MEDICAL RECORDSREVEALED PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, HYPERLIPIDEMIA, AND RECENT LOSS OF 41 POUNDS ON A RIGID WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. THE AUTOPSY REVEALED SEVERE ARTERIOSCLOROSIS. MEDICAL RECORDS INDICATED THE PILOT HAD BEEN TAKING DIAZIDE INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. POST-ACCIDENT TOX RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT, IN COMBINATION WITH THE PILOT'S SEVERE DIET, MEDICAL HISTORY, AND POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION RESULTS SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PILOT BECAME INCAPACITATED IN FLIGHT.

Full Narrative

WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN IN IMC, THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT, THE INTENDED DESTINATION. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX ON THE PUBLISHED TRANSITION TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 11,400 FEET. AFTERWARD, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING OUT OF CLOUDS AND MANUEVERING ERRATICALLY IN VMC UNTIL IT IMPACTED TERRAIN WITH NO APPARENT ATTEMPT TO RECOVER. MEDICAL RECORDSREVEALED PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, HYPERLIPIDEMIA, AND RECENT LOSS OF 41 POUNDS ON A RIGID WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. THE AUTOPSY REVEALED SEVERE ARTERIOSCLOROSIS. MEDICAL RECORDS INDICATED THE PILOT HAD BEEN TAKING DIAZIDE INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. POST-ACCIDENT TOX RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT, IN COMBINATION WITH THE PILOT'S SEVERE DIET, MEDICAL HISTORY, AND POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION RESULTS SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PILOT BECAME INCAPACITATED IN FLIGHT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:30 PDT
Nearest AirportSouth Lake Tahoe (0nm N)
Runway18
Runway Length8544 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftBeech B200
Tail NumberN1870S
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRichard P Lieberman
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsP&W · PT6A-42 · Turboprop · 850
Seats11

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 54 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind160° @ 8 kt
Visibility30 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 3200 ft
Temperature / Dew Point43 C / 28 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time02:42
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data