National Transportation Safety Board - Docket And Docket Items: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
National Transportation Safety Board - Aviation Accident Data Summary: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
NTSB Identification: CEN15LA059
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 24, 2014 in Las Cruces, NM
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/11/2015
Aircraft: ROSS H/HERRIOTT M VANS AIRCRAFT RV 3, registration: N625ZH
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
Several witnesses reported that they observed the airplane make a steep climb shortly after takeoff and that the airplane then made two 90-degree left bank turns to enter the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. During the turns, the airplane’s wings were rocking back and forth, the airplane was in a nose-high attitude and not climbing, and the flight control surfaces were moving. The airplane then began another left turn, the left wing dropped, and the airplane spun toward the ground. One witness reported that the engine sounded normal throughout the flight. A friend of the pilot stated that the pilot had purchased the airplane 2 days before the accident and had no previous flight experience in the airplane make and model. He estimated that the pilot had only flown the airplane about 4.0 hours before the accident. Based on witness accounts, there were no preaccident anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot lost control of the airplane while maneuvering in the traffic pattern, which resulted in a stall/spin. It is also likely that the pilot’s lack of experience in the airplane type contributed to his failure to maintain airplane control during the turns. Although postaccident toxicology tests detected a low level of marijuana in the pilot’s blood, liver, and lung, it is unlikely that it impaired his performance on the day of the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in a stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to obtain adequate familiarization in the accident airplane type before the accident.
On November 24, 2014, about 1245 mountain standard time, N625ZH, an experimental-homebuilt Ross Vans Aircraft RV-3, sustained substantial damage shortly after takeoff from Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was destined for Dona Ana County Airport (5T6), Santa Teresa, New Mexico. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors performed an on-scene examination of the airplane and interviewed numerous witnesses. The witnesses provided similar accounts as to what they observed. One witness stated that he watched the pilot from the time he entered the airplane up until the accident. He said the pilot performed an engine run-up before takeoff and everything was normal. The pilot then taxied onto the runway, stopped, added full power and lifted off in about 800 feet. The witness said the pilot immediately started a steep angle of climb and the airplane's wings began "shuttering." The airplane made a 90-degree left turn onto crosswind. When the pilot rolled level, the wings were "wobbling" and the airplane was in a nose high attitude and not climbing. The pilot then made another 90 degree turn onto downwind, and the wings were again still "wobbling." The witness said he thought that the pilot was making another left turn and was going to fly over the terminal when the airplane stalled. The pilot was able to recover, and got the wings level. The witness said the pilot entered another left turn and that is when the airplane's left wing "dropped into a spin and impacted the ground." He said that when the airplane was in the 90 degree bank turns, he could see that the controls were being moved. The airplane was traveling about 65 knots from takeoff through the last turn and the engine sounded normal from takeoff to impact.
Another witness said that when the airplane began to spin, it made 1 to 1.5 rotations before it impacted a road in front of the airport's terminal building. There was no post-impact fire.
A friend of the pilot stated that the pilot had purchased the airplane two days before the accident and had no previous flight experience in an RV-3. The friend estimated that from the time the pilot purchased the airplane up until the time of the accident, he had flown the airplane about 4.0 hours.
Weather reported at the airport at 1335 was reported as wind from 290 degrees at 7 knots variable between 240 degrees and 300 degree, 10 miles visibility, and clear skies.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single and multi-engine land and instrument airplane. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Second Class medical certificate was issued on August 28, 2014. At that time, the pilot reported a total of 1,000 flight hours.
Toxicological testing was conducted by the FAA Accident Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens tested positive for the following:
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in Lung
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in Liver
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) NOT detected in Blood
0.1325 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Liver
0.0144 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Lung
0.003 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Blood
An autopsy was conducted on the pilot by the University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Office of the Medical Investigator on November 25, 2014. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma.
NTSB Identification: CEN15LA059
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 24, 2014 in Las Cruces, NM
Aircraft: ROSS H/HERRIOTT M VANS AIRCRAFT RV 3, registration: N625ZH
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 24, 2014, about 1245 mountain standard time, N625ZH, an experimental-homebuilt Ross Vans Aircraft RV-3, sustained substantial damage shortly after takeoff from Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was destined for Dona Ana County Airport (5T6), Santa Teresa, New Mexico. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors performed an on-scene examination of the airplane and interviewed numerous witnesses. The witnesses provided similar accounts as to what they observed. One witness stated that he watched the pilot from the time he entered the airplane up until the accident. He said the pilot performed an engine run-up before takeoff and everything was normal. The pilot then taxied onto the runway, stopped, added full power and lifted off in about 800 feet. The witness said the pilot immediately started a steep angle of climb and the airplane's wings began "shuttering." The airplane made a 90-degree left turn onto crosswind. When the pilot rolled level, the wings were "wobbling" and the airplane was in a nose high attitude and not climbing. The pilot then made another 90 degree turn onto downwind, and the wings were again still "wobbling." The witness said he thought that the pilot was making another left turn and was going to fly over the terminal when the airplane stalled. The pilot was able to recover, and got the wings level. The witness said the pilot entered another left turn and that is when the airplane's left wing "dropped into a spin and impacted the ground." He said that when the airplane was in the 90 degree bank turns, he could see that the controls were being moved. The airplane was traveling about 65 knots from takeoff through the last turn and the engine sounded normal from takeoff to impact.
Another witness said that when the airplane began to spin, it made 1 to 1.5 rotations before it impacted a road in front of the airport's terminal building. There was no post-impact fire.
A friend of the pilot stated that the pilot had purchased the airplane two days before the accident and had no previous flight experience in an RV-3. The friend estimated that from the time the pilot purchased the airplane up until the time of the accident, he had flown the airplane about 4.0 hours.
Weather reported at the airport at 1335 was reported as wind from 290 degrees at 7 knots variable between 240 degrees and 300 degree, 10 miles visibility, and clear skies.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single and multi-engine land and instrument airplane. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Second Class medical certificate was issued on August 28, 2014. At that time, the pilot reported a total of 1,000 flight hours.
Toxicological testing was conducted by the FAA Accident Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens tested positive for the following:
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in Lung
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) detected in Liver
Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) NOT detected in Blood
0.1325 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Liver
0.0144 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Lung
0.003 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) detected in Blood
An autopsy was conducted on the pilot by the University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Office of the Medical Investigator on November 25, 2014. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma.
NTSB Identification: CEN15LA059
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 24, 2014 in Las Cruces, NM
Aircraft: ROSS H/HERRIOTT M VANS AIRCRAFT RV 3, registration: N625ZH
Injuries: 1 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. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 24, 2014, about 0950 mountain standard time, N625ZH, an experimental-homebuilt Ross Vans Aircraft RV-3, sustained substantial damage shortly after takeoff from Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was destined for Dona Ana County Airport, Santa Teresa, New Mexico. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane wreckage and interviewed several witnesses. According to the inspector, shortly after the airplane departed Runway 26, it was observed in a nose high attitude about 400 to 500-feet above the ground. The airplane then entered a steep 60 to 90-degree left bank. Witnesses observed the airplane's wings "wobble" back and forth, before the airplane entered a steeper turn to the left. Then the airplane's left wing dropped and the airplane began to spin. The airplane made 1 to 1.5 turns before it impacted a road in front of the airport's terminal building. The witnesses said the airplane's engine was operating until the airplane hit the ground. There was no post-impact fire.
A friend of the pilot told the FAA inspector that the pilot had purchased the airplane two days before the accident and had no previous flight experience in an RV-3. He estimated that from the time the pilot purchased the airplane up until the time of the accident, he had flown the airplane about 4.0 hours.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single and multi-engine land and instrument airplane. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Second Class medical certificated was issued on August 28, 2014. At that time, the pilot reported a total of 1,000 flight hours.
Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Albuquerque FSDO-01
http://registry.faa.gov/N625ZH
In Memory of Lawrence Tyler Francis
March 6, 1985 - November 24, 2014
Obituary
Tyler was President/CEO of Francis Aviation at Dona Ana International Jetport and recently expanded operations to the Las Cruces Municipal Airport. He served on the Board for Dona Ana International Jetport, War Eagles Air Museum, Amigo Airsho and Boy Scouts of America Yucca Council. He was recently awarded membership in the Sons of the American Revolution and Society of Mayflower Descendants.
Tyler, a fifth generation El Pasoan, was an Eagle Scout (Troop 4), a finalist in the Texas State Debate Championship (2001) and was Texas State champion in the DECA Entrepreneurship category (2002). At the age of 15, he began buying, renovating and selling homes. He was pledge class president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at University of Arizona. Tyler is a UTEP graduate and received his MBA at Texas Tech University.
Tyler's love of aviation began at the age of 10, building radio-controlled airplanes with his mentor and friend, Tom Holmsley. He purchased his first airplane while in grad school at Texas Tech. Upon graduating, he moved to Santa Teresa, where he worked for and later purchased Blue Feather Aero which he renamed Francis Aviation. He was a skilled pilot who also enjoyed skydiving. Tyler was very adventurous and enjoyed hiking, camping, and skiing. One of his notable adventures included climbing past Advanced Base Camp on Mount Everest.
Tyler's enthusiasm for life was infectious and he positively impacted those around him. His charismatic, energetic, positive and caring personality will be forever remembered. Tyler's life has changed us all, the devastation of his passing, but also the joy of having known him.
Tyler is survived by his wife, Sara; parents, Ginger and Rick Francis; In-laws Nancy and John Paben; Grandparents, Doris and Rollo Gurss, Marilyn and Larry Francis; Sister, Lauren (John) Steinmann, and many aunts and uncles and cousins.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Tyler's life at St Clement Church (810 N. Campbell, El Paso, 79902) at 1PM on Saturday, November 29th. A private family graveside ceremony will happen at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Boy Scouts of America Yucca Council or the War Eagles Museum.
Services entrusted to Martin Funeral Home West, 128 N. Resler Dr., El Paso, Texas 79912. www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com.
Read more here: http://obits.dignitymemorial.com
Tyler Francis was killed in the crash
LAS CRUCES, NM – Tyler Francis, president of Francis Aviation, was killed in a plane crash at Las Cruces International Airport Monday, according to New Mexico State Police.
Francis, 29, was the sole occupant of the single-engine plane that crashed at around noon about 150 feet from the terminal on the tarmac.
New Mexico State Police confirm to ABC-7 that the pilot of a single-engine plane was killed in a plane crash Monday at Las Cruces International Airport.
The airport has been closed since the crashed.
New Mexico State Police Lt. James Frietze said he spoke to Francis Monday morning and that he was told the plane was a recent purchase.
“Witnesses said the airplane sounded odd and started sputtering. The engine seemed to kick on and then shut off,” Frietze told ABC-7. “One of the witnesses did tell me though that (the plane) was at approximately at a 90 degree angle to the ground upon impact.”
Frietze said Francis had massive head injuries.
Earlier this year, four people were killed in an air ambulance crash west of Las Cruces on Aug. 27. They died from a combination of burns, smoke inhalation and blunt force trauma, according to autopsy reports.
Tyler Francis, president of Francis Aviation, was killed in a plane crash at Las Cruces International Airport Monday, according to an employee of Francis’ father, Rick Francis.
Tyler Francis, 29, was the sole occupant of the single-engine plane that crashed at around noon about 150 feet from the terminal on the tarmac.
The airport has been closed since the crashed.
Francis is the son of Rick Francis, WestStar Bank’s executive chairman, and grandson of former El Paso Mayor Larry Francis.
Earlier this year, four people were killed in an air ambulance crash west of Las Cruces on Aug. 27. They died from a combination of burns, smoke inhalation and blunt force trauma, according to autopsy reports.
Below is an April 2013 El Paso Inc. article on Tyler Francis and Francis Aviation
Tyler Francis and his company, Francis Aviation, have taken over at Santa Teresa Airport where they’ll be supplying aviation and jet fuel to customers.
But in the not too distant future, he expects to be pumping rocket fuel to a very different kind of customer as the first fixed-base operator at Spaceport America north of Las Cruces, N.M.
Francis, 28, the son of Rick Francis, WestStar Bank’s executive chairman, and grandson of former El Paso Mayor Larry Francis, isn’t exactly taking the path they expected he would after completing his MBA at Texas Tech University.
But his dreams lie in the wild blue yonder, not behind a desk.
“Between undergrad and grad school, I was working for Hunt Companies in a cubicle for 70 to 80 hours a week and decided I didn’t want to do that,” Francis said. “Aviation was my passion.”
After graduating from UTEP, he realized he liked life in the sky when he bought an airplane with money he had earned flipping houses, something he started in high school, and began flying back and forth to Texas Tech in Lubbock.
“My father had big plans for me coming back to El Paso and taking over the family’s real estate portfolio,” he said. “But, that didn’t float my boat.”
Instead, he went to work – volunteered, really – for former El Paso Mayor Susie Azar at Blue Feather Aero, the fixed-base operator at the Doña Ana County Airport.
“I told Susie, ‘I’ll work for you for free until you’re ready to sell it to me,’ ” Francis said. “I worked there for a year.”
They closed the deal in December.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - New Mexico officials are investigating a plane crash that happened near the Las Cruces International Airport Monday.
New Mexico State police said it was a single engine plane crash, killing Tyler Francis of Francis Aviation at the Las Cruces airport.
The company took over fueling operations at Las Cruces International Airport in November after a plane received the wrong kind of fuel and crashed.
We spoke to Tyler about this new venture earlier this month. Read about what he told us: http://bit.ly/1tftlm4
Below is a statment from the Francis family:
Nov. 24, 2014 -- EL PASO, TX -- The Francis family would like to thank the many El Pasoans who have contacted us to share their concerns for us and offer their condolences regarding the death of our son, Tyler.
The loss of our beloved Tyler has left us without words. We request that during this devastating time in our lives you respect our privacy, understanding that we ask to be left alone to grieve the death of our son and try to comfort one another as a family.
Thank you,
The Francis Family
November 13, 2014: Las Cruces International Airport (KLRU) hires new operators two months after deadly crash
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – About two months after a plane received the wrong kind of fuel and crashed, the city-owned airport hires a new third-party operator to man the pumps.
- Source: http://www.kfoxtv.com
Private jets: Not just for the super rich -- Santa Teresa airport draws business from El Paso
Tyler Francis says he’s seen a lot of interest in charter service from the Santa Teresa airport.
Cutter general manager Scott Andre says business is strong, but he’s losing one of two corporate jets based there.
SANTA TERESA, N.M. – At Doña Ana County International Jetport, a short drive from El Paso and a quick hop over the state line, construction will soon be under way on a hangar that some here think is the future of the small desert facility.
An aggressive effort by New Mexico to expand the state’s aviation industry is siphoning the corporate air travel business across the state line from El Paso to nearby Santa Teresa, those in the general aviation business say.
“It has had a huge impact when it comes to private-owned aircraft based here,” said Scott Andre, general manager of Cutter Aviation at El Paso International.
Cutter is one of two fixed-base operators in El Paso, companies that provide services such as fuel and catering for non-commercial flights.
While his business with cargo operators and law enforcement is still strong, Andre said, he has only two corporate customers that keep jets there, and he will soon lose one of them to Doña Ana County International Jetport.
While El Paso International Airport is the region’s aviation giant, Andre said the New Mexico jetport is steadily chipping away at some of its advantages.
Take the hangar soon to be under construction there.
Those familiar with the project say it is being built to house a jet owned by El Paso businessman and philanthropist Paul Foster and his wife, Alejandra, and is just one example of how El Paso is increasingly losing the corporate air travel business to the jetport.
Nearby, construction is complete on a customs facility that airport manager Bill Provance expects to be operational this month. It means that planes flying into the airport will no longer have to stop at the El Paso airport to clear customs.
Last December, “International” was officially added to the airport’s name by Doña Ana County commissioners to better reflect the airport’s ambition to attract corporate travelers, business jets and cargo aircraft.
Business moving from El Paso to Santa Teresa’s airport doesn’t just impact El Paso’s fixed-base operators. It also impacts local tax revenues and all the other industries that thrive around business aviation – maintenance operations, caterers, brokers and the like.
“Businesses moving outside of El Paso is not a good thing for anyone involved,” said El Paso airport director Monica Lombraña.
The airport is impacted through lower fuel flowage fees, she said, and so is the city, which collects taxes on many of the services provided to the industry.
“The airport will do whatever is within our capability lawfully to work with our tenants and to encourage local businesses to remain at (El Paso Airport),” she said. “And the best way we can do that is to offer the lowest lease rates and fees possible to our tenants while still maintaining our infrastructure to the highest standards possible.”
Business tool
These days corporate and business air travel is not just for gazillionaires. It’s possible for smaller firms to use private jets without spending a fortune, said Matthew Betty, an aircraft broker and consultant who worked in El Paso before moving to Fort Worth in 2012.
“Corporate aircraft travel has substantially evolved over the last 15 years,” Betty said. “The industry has just exploded in terms of how you can access and use corporate aircraft.”
Smaller firms have access to private planes through partial ownership schemes that work like timeshares as well as charter flights, he said. And even though private jets may be perceived as a luxury, for many companies, they’re just another business tool.
According to the National Business Aviation Association, business aviation contributes $150 billion to U.S. economic output and employs more than 1.2 million people, although the industry was hit hard by the Great Recession and financial meltdown in 2008 and 2009.
The lack of direct flights from El Paso International has long been a frustration for El Paso business executives. A number of local firms, Betty said, use private planes to move their executives and management teams more quickly to and from operations on the border.
One is El Paso-based River Oaks Properties, which has fractional ownership of a plane through Ohio-based Net Jets, which is a subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
“Prices have come down a lot over the past decade or so,” said Adam Frank, River Oaks president.
He and other executives often have to fly to San Diego, but there are no direct commercial flights from El Paso to the California city.
“With a layover in Phoenix, it literally takes between 7 to 9 hours to get to San Diego when it is about a 1-hour and 20 minute flight direct,” Frank said.
So a one-day trip turns into a three-day trip, which is an expensive proposition for the company in both time and money.
But even as corporate air travel becomes increasingly accessible, El Paso continues to lose much of the business.
Tax benefits
Francis Aviation, the fixed-base operator at the Doña Ana airport, is planning to launch a charter service for business travelers this month, once it gets the expected approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Owner Tyler Francis purchased a $2 million King Air B200 aircraft a year ago, and has been waiting for FAA’s go ahead.
“We are already seeing a lot of interest. We get a lot of calls,” Francis said. The only other stand-alone charter service based in the El Paso area is ATI Jet Charter.
Fuel sales at Francis Aviation, while significantly less than those of Cutter Aviation in El Paso, Francis said, are 26 percent higher so far this year compared to the same period last year. And business overall, he said, is 31 percent higher than it has averaged over the past 10 years.
“We have had a series of jet owners move over to Santa Teresa, snagging up space for aircraft,” Francis said.
Perhaps the biggest reason El Paso is losing business to the airport in Santa Teresa is the tax benefit New Mexico provides airplane owners, said Betty, the airplane consultant.
In Texas, planes, like houses, are subject to personal property taxes. In New Mexico, plane owners are charged a yearly fee based on the weight of the aircraft.
The bottom line, Betty said, is the New Mexico tax can amount to saving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Six months ago, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez signed into law more tax breaks for the aviation industry.
Even so, El Paso International still has a lot of advantages, Betty said. It’s not located out in the desert but in the middle of the city, and has significantly more runway, security and support services, including a control tower and an important weather observation system that assists aircraft flying in low visibility.
Airport manager Bill Provance said the next thing on his list is that automated system, certified by the FAA.
And the Dona Aña County commissioners have recently approved funding for the system at the jetport.
Story and Photo Gallery: http://www.elpasoinc.com
http://registry.faa.gov/N51RX
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA462
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 27, 2014 in Las Cruces, NM
Aircraft: CESSNA 421C, registration: N51RX
Injuries: 4 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. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 27, 2014, about 1900 mountain daylight time, a Cessna Airplane Company 421C, multi-engine airplane, N51RX, was destroyed after impacting terrain during initial climb near Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot, two medical crewmembers and one patient were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Elite Medical Air Transport, LLC; El Paso, Texas, and was operated by Amigos Aviation, Inc.; Harlingen, Texas. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air ambulance flight. At the time of the accident the airplane was departing LRU for a flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona.
The airplane arrived LRU about 1834 to pickup a patient for a flight to PHX. The pilot was still seated in the cockpit when he gave the line service technician a verbal order for a total of forty gallons of fuel. The line service technician drove the fuel truck to the front of the airplane and refueled the airplane putting 20 gallons in each wing. The pilot then assisted the line service technician with replacing both fuel caps. They both walked into the office and the pilot signed the machine printed fuel ticket.
After departing LRU to the west a medical crewmember onboard the airplane called their medical dispatcher on a satellite telephone and reported they were returning to LRU because of a problem with smoke coming from the right engine. A witness driving westbound on the interstate highway reported the airplane was westbound and about 200 feet above ground level (agl) when he saw smoke begin to appear from the right engine. The airplane then began descending and started a left turn to the east. Another witness, driving eastbound on the interstate highway, reported the airplane was trailing smoke when it passed over him about 100 feet agl. He saw the descending airplane continue its left turn to the east and then lost sight of it. Several witnesses reported seeing the impact or hearing the sound of impact and they then immediately saw smoke or flames.
Evidence at the scene showed the airplane was generally eastbound and upright when it impacted terrain resulting in the separation of the left propeller and the separation of the right aileron. The airplane came to rest inverted about 100 feet from the initial impact point, and there was an immediate postimpact fire which consumed much of the airplane. Investigators who arrived at the scene on the day following the accident reported detecting the smell of jet fuel.
A postaccident review of refueling records and interviews with line service technicians showed that the airplane had been misfuelled with 40 gallons of Jet A fuel instead of the required 100LL aviation gasoline.
At 1855 the automated weather observing system at LRU, located about 3 miles northeast from the accident location, reported wind from 040 degrees at 5 knots, visibility of 10 miles, broken clouds at 6,500 feet, temperature 23 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 16 degrees C, with an altimeter setting of 30.16 inches of Mercury.
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