Low Pass Over Gathering Preceded Impact

An early model Beech Baron (A55), N1533Z, went down Saturday with five people aboard east of Lake Tahoe, NV.

Reported to have just over-flown an open air cattle branding party, the Beech allegedly "nosedived" into the ground at 1610 local time. Authorities have ID'd those aboard as Pilot Gary Annas (58), of Minden, NV. The four passengers killed are Beau McGrath, (30), a Kirkwood Mountain Resort employee of New Jersey; Paul Dallas, (43), of Minden, Leia Denner, (40), of Gardnerville and Brent Fahey, (30), also of Gardnerville.

Initial NWS notification info states that: AT APPROXIMATELY 400 PM ON 5/9/2009 A TWIN ENGINE PROPELLER DRIVEN AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM THE MINDEN AIRPORT CARRYING 5 PERSON; FOUR ADULT MALES AND ONE ADULT FEMALE. THE PLANE CRASHED AT APPROXIMATELY 410 PM IN THE AREA OF MOTTSVILLE LANE 3 MILES WEST OF STATE ROUTE 88, IN GARDNERVILLE. ACCORDING TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, WITNESSES DID NOT HEAR ANY  MECHANICAL NOISES COMING FROM THE PLANE, NOR DID THEY SEE ANY PARTS SEPARATE FROM THE PLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PLANE APPEARED TO FLYING NORMALLY, THEN CRASHED UNEXPECTEDLY APPROXIMATELY 500 YARDS SOUTH OF MOTTSVILLE LANE.

Weather conditions were stated to offer at least 10SM visibility, with some gusty winds reported. The 1962 A55 Baron was owned by Annas who appears to have purchased the aircraft in 1997.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov