Aw Hell, There's Just No Excuse For This Kind of Thing...

The NTSB has confirmed media reports in which a Baron A55 was involved in an accident killing five people, after allegedly 'Buzzing' a party.

According to the NTSB Prelim, "Witnesses reported to the Douglas County Sheriff that the pilot had taken four friends that were attending an outdoor working party on a local flight. The airplane made two to three passes over the work party. On the final pass witnesses reported that the airplane was slightly above the tops of the local houses, between 100 and 300 feet above ground level (agl), and was traveling from northwest to southeast. The airplane made a sudden steep climbing left turn, appeared to decelerate at the top of the climbing turn, then dropped towards the ground nose first, and impacted a grass field. The engines could be heard 'running perfectly' throughout the maneuver."

The accident occurred May 9, 2009, at 1610 Pacific daylight time, and involved a Beech BE-95-A55, N1533Z, near Minden, Nevada.

The NTSB states that the airplane was operated by the private pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91. The pilot and four passengers were killed, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

The flight originated at Minden-Tahoe Airport, Minden, about 1600.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov