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December 24, 1985 · Beech 95-A55 · N1494G

Concord, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 24, 1985
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities), 83 unknown outcomes
Location
Concord, CA
Aircraft
Beech 95-A55
Tail Number
N1494G
Operator
Ark Distibuting
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX86MA074

DRG ARR, THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR AN LDA RWY 19R APCH. AFTER BEING CLRD FOR THE APCH, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. AT 2033 PST, HE RPRTD INBND AT THE FINAL APCH FIX & WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH.APRX 2 MIN LATER, HE DECLARED A MISSED APCH. THE TWR CONTROLLER (CTLR) INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CONTACT TRAVIS DEP CTL, BUTONLY A 'GARBLED' REPLY WAS HEARD. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RDO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. AFTER CROSSING THE ARPT ON A SSE HDG, THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT CLBG TURN AS IF TO BEGIN THE MISSED APCH PROCEDURE, THEN IT TURNED RGT AS IF TO BEGIN A DWNWND &BASE LEG FOR RWY 1L. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT ENTERED CLDS & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT REAPPEARED IN A STEEP, DSCNDG, RGT TURN. IT THEN CRASHED INTO A DEPT STORE APRX 1 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT WHILE IN A 32 DEG RGT BANK, 6 DEG NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND THAT WOULD HAVE LED TO THE ACDNT. THE WX (IN PART) WAS: 400' OBSCD, VIS 3/4 MI WITH FOG; SAME AS LDA MINS. MINS FOR CIRCLING APCH WERE 600' & 1 MI. NO COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER INSTALLED OR REQD.

Full Narrative

DRG ARR, THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR AN LDA RWY 19R APCH. AFTER BEING CLRD FOR THE APCH, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. AT 2033 PST, HE RPRTD INBND AT THE FINAL APCH FIX & WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH.APRX 2 MIN LATER, HE DECLARED A MISSED APCH. THE TWR CONTROLLER (CTLR) INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CONTACT TRAVIS DEP CTL, BUTONLY A 'GARBLED' REPLY WAS HEARD. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RDO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. AFTER CROSSING THE ARPT ON A SSE HDG, THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT CLBG TURN AS IF TO BEGIN THE MISSED APCH PROCEDURE, THEN IT TURNED RGT AS IF TO BEGIN A DWNWND &BASE LEG FOR RWY 1L. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT ENTERED CLDS & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT REAPPEARED IN A STEEP, DSCNDG, RGT TURN. IT THEN CRASHED INTO A DEPT STORE APRX 1 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT WHILE IN A 32 DEG RGT BANK, 6 DEG NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND THAT WOULD HAVE LED TO THE ACDNT. THE WX (IN PART) WAS: 400' OBSCD, VIS 3/4 MI WITH FOG; SAME AS LDA MINS. MINS FOR CIRCLING APCH WERE 600' & 1 MI. NO COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER INSTALLED OR REQD.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time20:36 PST
Nearest AirportBuchanan Field (1nm S)
Runway19R
Runway Length4712 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftBeech 95-A55
Tail NumberN1494G
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorArk Distibuting
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-470-L · Reciprocating · 260
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities), 83 unknown outcomes
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total86
Crew 1Age 67 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind30° @ 9 kt
Ceiling400 ft
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time04:58
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data