Reported Autopilot Problems Before Loss Of Contact

The pilot of a Beechcraft King Air C90A was killed when his plane crashed in central Texas Sunday.

The Roseburg (OR) News-Review reports George Anthony "Tony" Kuhn, 66, told air traffic controllers the plane's autopilot failed and he was having difficulties controlling the aircraft.

The plane deviated from its planned route of flight between Hondo, TX and Arizona's Phoenix Goodyear Airport, and controllers lost radio contact shortly before the plane crashed about 30 miles west of Rocksprings.

Kuhn had traveled to Texas with Bill Woods, president of Roseburg-based aircraft broker Western Wings, which owned the accident plane. Woods was to return in another plane to Roseburg... but instead, spent Monday at the wreckage site.

"Tony was probably the most organized person I have ever been around," said Douglas County Commissioner Doug Robertson, who told the News-Review he'd known Kuhn for 35 years and said he was "meticulous as a pilot."

The FAA and NTSB are investigating.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 43KM        Make/Model: BE9L      Description: 90, A90 to E90 King Air (T-44, VC-6)
  Date: 12/14/2008     Time: 2058

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: ROCKSPRINGS   State: TX   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS
  FATALLY INJURED, 20 MILES FROM ROCKSPRINGS, TX

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KDRT 142053Z AUTO 13007KT 10SM CLR 26/07 A2968

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SAN ANTONIO, TX  (SW17)               Entry date: 12/15/2008

FMI: www.westernwingsaircraft.com, www.faa.gov