Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Collision During Landing: Cessna 550 Citation II, N320JT; accident occurred July 17, 2019 at Mesquite Municipal Airport (67L), Clark County, Nevada

Ryan Dashiell booking photo courtesy of the Mesquite Police Department.












































































Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Las Vegas, Nevada
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

Avia Jet LLC

Jet Test Global LLC


Location: Mesquite, Nevada
Accident Number: WPR19TA193
Date and Time: July 17, 2019, 18:44 Local
Registration: N320JT
Aircraft: Cessna 550 
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Ferry

Factual Information

On June 17, 2019, about 1844 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 550 airplane, N320JT, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Mesquite Airport (67L), Mesquite, Nevada. The pilot, the sole occupant, had minor injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a ferry flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an
instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight.

The flight departed Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Pasco, Washington, about 1625 and had a filed destination of Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nevada. According to an ATC recording and radar data, the pilot was in contact with approach control and a radar track showed that the accident airplane was approaching the Las Vegas class B airspace from the northeast. The pilot's speech was slurred, and the controller repeatedly asked if the oxygen system on the airplane was working properly. As the airplane approached 67L from the northeast, the pilot stated he had the airport in sight and repeatedly requested a visual approach. The controller instructed the pilot to continue his flight to his destination of HND, which was another 85 miles past 67L in a southwest direction. As the controller attempted to maintain communications, the pilot dropped off radar shortly after passing 67L.

According to the pilot, during his descent to HND, the right thrust reverser lever "felt weird," and the right thrust reverser warning light began to illuminate. He stated that he decided not to continue his flight into the "busy LAS [Las Vegas]-HND airspace." The pilot canceled his IFR flight plan with the approach controller and proceeded to 67L. He stated he continued his visual approach into 67L and upon landing, experienced a left yaw and opined that the left thrust reverser had fully deployed and the right one did not. After applying full right rudder, the airplane "ballooned" and soon after touched down "again" as the airplane continued to yaw to the left as it continued down the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane veered off the side of the runway and the landing gear then collapsed. He further stated that he attempted to extinguish the fire and was unsuccessful.

A surveillance video at 67L captured the airplane as it was sliding across the runway shortly after landing. The main landing gear had collapsed prior to entering the video frame and a large fire and dark smoke followed the airplane as it slid down the runway. The airplane disappeared from view as it exited the runway near the departure end of the runway.

Local authorities responded to the accident site where the pilot was located, and the airplane was engulfed in flames. The pilot was observed to be intoxicated and stated to the authorities that he had been drinking some vodka. The authorities asked about the amount of vodka he drank and the timeline of drinking it. The pilot stated that the vodka had burned in the fire and an accurate timeline was not given. After refusing a standard sobriety test, the pilot was placed under arrest for operating an aircraft under the influence of an intoxicating liquor.

About 2 hours after the accident, a blood draw and a complete analysis of that blood was performed by the City of Henderson Police Department, Henderson, Nevada. The results were positive for ethanol at 0.288 g/dL±0.011 g/dL. The amount of ethanol found was consistent with a blood alcohol count (BAC) of .288. This level exceeded the FAA's allowable limit of .040 (Federal Aviation Regulation 14 CFR 91.17) while operating an aircraft.

The onsite examination of the accident site revealed multiple impact marks about 2,517 ft down the 5,121 ft long runway surface. A debris field down the runway consisted of main landing gear components and a lower fuselage mounted antenna. The main wreckage came to rest about 50ft off the left side of the runway, near the departure end. The fuselage and wings were mostly consumed by postimpact fire, and the engines and empennage remained intact. The wreckage was relocated to a secure facility and an examination of the wreckage was not conducted.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport; Flight instructor 
Age: 41,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter 
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): 
Airplane Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): 
Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: April 30, 2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: October 6, 2018
Flight Time: 17000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 2000 hours (Total, this make and model), 15800 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 200 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 85 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N320JT
Model/Series: 550 No Series 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1981
Amateur Built:
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 
Serial Number: 5500271
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle 
Seats: 10
Date/Type of Last Inspection: Continuous airworthiness 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 15100 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 2 Turbo jet
Airframe Total Time: 9000 Hrs as of last inspection 
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt and Whitney
ELT: Installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: JT15-4
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 2500 Lbs thrust
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC) 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KDXZ,2884 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 29 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 
Direction from Accident Site: 65°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Visibility:
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting:
Temperature/Dew Point: 38°C / -8°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Departure Point: Pasco, WA (PSC)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Destination: Las Vegas, NV (HND) 
Type of Clearance: IFR
Departure Time: 16:25 Local 
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Mesquite 67L
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1978 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 02
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5121 ft / 75 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Straight-in

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 36.8325,-114.05722(est)










LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — We are learning new information about a pilot accused of flying a plane drunk and crashing it at the Mesquite airport. The pilot’s license shows he needed a co-pilot with him to legally fly.

The day after the fiery crash, the Cessna 550 Citation II still sits at the Mesquite Municipal Airport.

Police say 41-year-old Ryan Dashiell was the pilot behind the controls. Mesquite police department investigators say the Washington state man was flying drunk and crash-landed at the Mesquite Airport. He was not injured and was arrested at the scene for flying an aircraft under the influence.

Mesquite resident Bill Coles is a former airport manager. He came out to look at the charred jet. Federal Aviation Administration officials say Dashiell was flying from Pasco, Washington on his way to the Henderson airport.

“He just messed up", he says.

Aviation sources tell News 3 Dashiell wasn't fully qualified to fly the small jet. His pilot’s license required a co-pilot on board with him. Commercial pilot Robert Katz says it's concerning to know Dashiell was flying without a copilot and possibly under the influence.

“That’s very unfortunate to hear and also very unusual flying an airplane is not at all like driving an automobile. A pilot needs all his faculties and a very clean head", said Katz.

Coles says luckily Dashiell did not crash in a community.

"There is a community at the foot of the hill. You know if he would have missed--you never know", says Coles.

Story and video ➤ https://news3lv.com

9 comments:

  1. Speechless. This is so egregious that one wonders how many times he got away with this. A perfectly good multimillion $$$ jet destroyed for not good reason at all and a career in aviation terminated. Only silver lining is no one got hurt but if he ever made it to Henderson one wonders what would happen.

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  2. What an absolute idiot. This could’ve been way worse, especially if he landed in HND. I am paying $$$$$$ for single pilot jet insurance because of people like this. It’s also hard to believe he has 17000 hours at 41 years old. He probably faked that. The only thing that makes me happy is that the FAA will pull his certificate however, with that attitude, he’ll probably just keep flying

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  3. US have collectively spend tens of thousands of state and federal $s investigating the obvious, and still almost 4 years later no official state or federal disposition records. Gov'ts go after welfare cheats to pay, and this guy walks away with only a drunken charge and no liability for damages !!

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  4. Wondering what would cause a pilot with all those hours and experience to apparently knowingly throw away a flying career ? Divorce...debts...foreclosure, etc ? I think the statement "after he realized he survived the accident" is very telling to his state of mind. Maybe he was trying to drum up the courage with vodka to commit suicide and then backed out ? Who knows - regardless, his flying career is over, and rightfully so.

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  5. He’s still in the Faa Airman Registry but he has no certificates. I’d say he lost them all due to this.

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  6. Reminds me of the Foster Brooks/Dean Martin comedy bit!!

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  7. Hopefully he is, has been and continues to get help for a serious substance abuse problem!

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  8. His narrative should have read: I was drunk. I destroyed the plane. Take my Certificates.

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  9. I knew this pilot. Very arrogant person, and for sure he’s lying about his flying of 17,000 hours. A true idiot.

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