The NTSB has filed the first substantive report on the tragic Duke accident that occurred April 16th, at the Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV). The airport was closed for the better part of a day while authorities cleared and investigated the damage caused by a Beechcraft Duke that went down shortly before noon Sunday. The aircraft impacted a parked car, sending the vehicle through a wall at the passenger terminal and resulting in a fire that forced the evacuation of approximately 150 people from the terminal.

The three people onboard the Duke (file photo below) perished in the accident, but no one on the ground was injured. Pilot Giuseppe Basile, Steve Varosi, and Varosi's 12-year-old nephew Michael were onboard the plane.

NTSB Identification: MIA06FA090
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, April 16, 2006 in Gainesville, FL
Aircraft: Beech Be-60, registration: N999DE
Injuries: 3 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On April 16, 2006, about 1153 eastern daylight time, a Beech BE-60, N999DE, registered to and operated by private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed into the side of the airport terminal building at Gainesville Regional Airport, Gainesville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

A witness stated that while driving north on Waldo Road he observed the airplane, and upon liftoff, it banked sharply to the left. He further stated that the airplane then seemed to stabilize, and commenced a climb to the east. It then began a roll to the left again, and continued into an inverted position. The airplane finally entered a sharp dive, and descended, impacting the west end of the terminal building, exploding on impact.

According to a controller at the Gainesville Regional Airport control tower, after the pilot of the accident airplane reported having the ATIS information, the controller said, "right turn approved, cleared for takeoff", and that was the last radio communication with the accident airplane.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov