N809DMBeech E-90 · 1980

On November 6, 2022, about 2145 central standard time, a Beech E-90, N809DM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Slidell Airport (ASD), Slidell, Louisiana. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.

According to air traffic control information, the airplane departed John C. Tune Airport (JWN), Nashville, Tennessee, and climbed to a cruise altitude of 22,000 ft. The airplane descended to ASD, the pilot’s home airport, and a visual approach was flown that the pilot discontinued due to ground fog.

The pilot received an instrument flight rules clearance and flew the RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 approach that he also discontinued due to ground fog. After executing a missed approach, the pilot flew another RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 approach, during which the airplane impacted terrain about 800 ft right of the departure end of Runway 36. The pilot egressed the airplane without assistance.

The airplane initially impacted trees with the right wing (see Figure 1). The main wreckage came to rest upright and was consumed by a post-impact fire. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Figure 1. Wreckage Diagram, Courtesy of Textron Aviation

ASD was equipped with an Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS). At 2153, the ADS ASOS observation was wind calm, visibility 5 statute miles in mist, ceiling overcast at 400 ft above ground level (agl), temperature 19°C and dew point 18°C.

At 2135, the closest weather reporting station about 12 miles northeast of ASD reported wind calm, visibility 1/4 mile in fog, ceiling overcast at 200 ft agl, temperature 20°C, and dew point temperature 20°C.

Several other weather stations in the vicinity reported low ceilings and visibilities, with fog forming over the area. There were no pilot weather reports (PIREPs) within 60 miles of ASD in the national database from 1700 through 2400.

The pilot reported that, during the last attempted approach, he initiated a go-around after losing sight of visual references due to ground fog. He observed the right engine was slower to accelerate than the left engine during the go-around, and that he was distracted looking at the engine indications. He reported that he did not notice if the airplane yawed to the right, and before he could correct for the altitude loss, the airplane descended into the trees.

Other pilots who flew the airplane reported the right engine’s acceleration was sometimes slower than the left engine. The director of maintenance had performed a timed engine run and found the right engine acceleration time was slower than the left engine, but within the normal range of the maintenance manual.