Five Fatally Injured When The Plane Went Down On Approach To Kerrville Municipal Airport

The NTSB has released a preliminary report from an accident which occurred in Kerrville, TX on April 22 which fatally injured the five occupants of the Beech 58 Baron airplane.

The airplane impacted terrain at 0851 CDT while on approach to Kerrville Municipal Airport (KERV), Kerrville, Texas. The pilot and five passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot, and day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan from West Houston Airport (IWS), West Houston, Texas, at 0730 CDT.

According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) information, the airplane approached ERV and was cleared to fly the RNAV (GPS) Approach Runway 12. The controller advised the pilot that the cloud bases were reported at 2,400 ft mean sea level (msl) and subsequently directed him to switch to the common traffic advisory frequency at ERV. While on final approach, the airplane descended and the last location recorded by ATC was about six miles prior to Runway 12, about 2,050 ft msl and about 65 knots groundspeed.

Three witnesses noticed the airplane flying at a low altitude and a spiral descent. The airplane impacted into a rocky ravine with a low forward groundspeed and came to rest upright. The wreckage was contained within the footprint of the airplane and there was no post-impact fire. The airplane was retained for further examination at the recovery location.

(Source: NTSB report. Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: Report