Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Beechcraft 200 Super King Air, N996LM: Accident occurred October 18, 2021 at Mount Pleasant Regional Airport (KLRO), Charleston County, South Carolina

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. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbia, South Carolina

Lowcountry Aviation Co Brokerage LLC


Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Accident Number: ERA22LA019
Date and Time: October 18, 2021, 16:10 Local
Registration: N996LM
Aircraft: Beech 200 
Injuries: 8 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air taxi & commuter - Non-scheduled

On October 18, 2021, about 1610 eastern daylight time, a Beech 200, N996LM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The two pilots and six passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight.

The airplane was taxiing for departure at Mount Pleasant Regional Airport-Faison Field (LRO), Mount Pleasant. According to the pilot, on his right side he observed a fuel truck that was parked on the right side of the apron, less than 20 ft from the center line taxiway marking for ramp guidance. He assessed that he had enough room to depart the parking area. No safety markings or cones were around the fuel truck, and no marshaling assistance or warnings were provided by the fixed-base-operator.

The pilot also noticed a small single-engine airplane to his immediate left, pulling into a parking area adjacent to his airplane. He hesitated and “shallowed out” his sharp left turn to avoid any contact with the single-engine airplane; however, the right-wing tip of his airplane contacted the fuel truck, which resulted in the outboard 2-ft of the wingtip shearing off at the rivet line. In addition, the outboard attach point of the aileron was sheared, and the aileron was damaged.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N996LM
Model/Series: 200
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: On-demand air taxi (135)
Operator Designator Code: UY8A

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KLRO,14 ft msl
Observation Time: 16:15 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C /6°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 9 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.11 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Mount Pleasant, SC (LRO)
Destination: Columbia, SC (CAE)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 6 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 8 None
Latitude, Longitude: 32.897833,-79.782861 (est)

Aircraft right wing struck a fuel truck while taxiing. 

Date: 18-OCT-21
Time: 20:10:00Z
Regis#: N996LM
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: SUPER KING AIR
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: MOUNT PLEASANT
State: SOUTH CAROLINA

4 comments:

  1. Plenty of daylight with no fog at that time so this was not a night/visibility issue. Was the King Air on the taxi centerline and the fuel truck in the wrong area on the tarmac? Or was the truck parked in a designated off-taxi area and the plane taxiing off of the marked taxi path on the tarmac? It's a tiny airport with only two rows of small singe engine GA parking on the main tarmac and five spots for larger wingspan singles and twins off to the side. Helluva screw up there.

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    Replies
    1. Fuel truck was inside of the clearance boundary.

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  2. Airport markings are not correct. NOTAM reflected that after this event.

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