Investigator In Charge (IIC): McCarter, Lawrence
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
David Schluep; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Columbus, Ohio
Textron; Wichita, Kansas
Pratt & Whitney; Bridgeport, West Virginia
Transportation Safety Board of Canada; Quebec
Hartzell; Picua, Ohio
Avintel Management LLC
Location: Marietta, Ohio
Accident Number: ERA23FA024
Date and Time: October 18, 2022, 07:09 Local
Registration: N515GK
Aircraft: Beech E-90
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Positioning
On October 18, 2022, at 0709 eastern daylight time, a Beech E-90, N515GK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Marietta, Ohio. The two commercial pilots were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.
The flight originated at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), Columbus, Ohio about 0640 and was enroute to Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (PKB), Parkersburg, West Virginia. Preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that after takeoff from CMH, the airplane climbed and turned on a ground track of 115° then leveled off at 11,000 ft mean sea level (msl) where it remained for most of the enroute portion of the 75-nautical mile flight.
Preliminary air traffic control communication information revealed that the flight crew were in communication with the Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center during the enroute portion the flight and that all communications with the air traffic controllers were normal withno indication of any irregularities.
As the airplane approached PKB, the controllers cleared the flight to descend and maintain 4,000 ft msl, then subsequently cleared it for the RNAV RWY 21 approach into PKB. Shortly after, the flight was instructed to contact the PKB control tower. The subsequent exchanges with the controllers there were normal. About 0709, as the airplane was on a 3-mile final approach, the controllers cleared the flight for landing, which was acknowledged by the flight crew. There were no additional communications received from the flight crew.
Multiple eyewitnesses located on the airport and area surrounding the accident site reported that the airplane, while flying straight and level, suddenly began a steep descent and spun near vertically to the ground. Security camera footage from multiple sources showed the airplane’s descent through impact, which was generally consistent with the eyewitness’s accounts.
Preliminary weather information at the time of the accident indicated that there were pilot reports throughout the area for trace to moderate icing conditions and AIRMETs moderate icing. Weather satellite data showed supercooled liquid water clouds from 1,300 ft agl to about 8,000 ft agl.
The airplane impacted a car dealership parking lot at an elevation of 614 ft msl, about 3 miles northeast of the approach end of runway 21 at PKB. The airplane struck a vehicle before coming to rest on level pavement. The wreckage path was oriented on a heading of 305° magnetic. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The cockpit and forward portions of the fuselage were crushed aft.
A significant post-impact fire ensued, consuming a majority of the fuselage and the cockpit area. The fuselage above the floorboards was totally consumed by fire. The instrument panel and all associated instrumentation, gauges and switches were severely impact damaged and thermally damaged. The left and right flaps, which were significantly damaged by impact and post impact fire, remained attached to their respective mounts; the actuators indicated a flap position of 15°.
Partial flight control continuity from the cockpit to the ailerons, elevator, and rudder was established through cables, bell cranks, and push pull rods. All breaks in the cables and push/pull rods were consistent with heat and overload damage.
The pneumatic anti-icing system was consumed by post impact fire; the switches were impact and thermally damaged, and a reliable determination of their post impact positions could not be made.
Both engines were located in the wreckage path, and both displayed significant impact and thermal damage. There were no indications of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies to any of the engine components that would have precluded normal engine operation.
Both left and right propeller assemblies were detached from their respective engines. All 4 blades remained attached to their respective hubs. All four blades on both sides exhibited severe s-bending, chordwise scraping, and leading edge gouges.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N515GK
Model/Series: E-90
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: PKB,615 ft msl
Observation Time: 06:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 3°C /1°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Wind
Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / , 260°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 1400 ft AGL
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.8 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Columbus, OH (CMH)
Destination: Parkersburg, WV (PKB)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 39.400997,-81.410431
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.
Aircraft crashed into car dealership under unknown circumstances.
Date: 18-OCT-22
Time: 09:01:00Z
Regis#: N515GK
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: E-90
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Total Fatal: 2
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal
Pax: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: SUBSTANTIAL
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
Operation: 91
City: PARKERSBURG
State: WEST VIRGINIA
Eric Scott Seevers
~
Eric Scott Seevers left for his heavenly abode on 18th October 2022. The pure and kind soul will always be missed by his wife, Francella Castro, his grandmother Thelma Seevers, brother Kyle Seevers residing in Valdosta, GA, sister Christie Seevers residing in Parkersburg, son Tucker Stephens, and two lovely daughters, Kambria Seevers, and Cadence. He was loved by his niece Alex Seevers residing in Valdosta, GA, his nephew Michael Seevers from Fort Stewart, Hinesville, GA, and grandson Michael Dowler from Parkersburg.
There will be no funeral ceremony held for the passing away of Eric rather there will be a life celebration by his family and friends a few days later. The cremation arrangements for his family are being managed by Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg, in the United States. May his eternal soul rest in peace, and may God empower his family and friends for their heavy loss.
Eric Scott Seevers came into the world on 13th February 1977. He is 44 years of age as of 2022. He was born to his parents, Lewis D. and Kathy Seevers, who hails from Parkersburg, West Virginia, in the United States.
He got enrolled in Emerson Elementary, Van Devender Jr. High School for his primary education, and then attended Parkersburg High School, where he was famous for his notorious behavior as he skipped his classes and was always in the news. He developed his love for studies in the latter phase. He developed an immense interest in music after he attended a musical concert with his sibling Christie and his mate Brenda when he was in Jr. High School.
He made up his mind to start learning guitar. He had a natural talent and learned in a short instance and performed with excellence in a number of local heavy metal bands, Social 66, Loaded, Liecus, etc. He later performed bass in a cover band of the 80s and showed his guitar skills with a fantastic performance in a Kiss tribute band.
Despite his immense talent in the field of music and his profession as a songwriter and musician, he went on to pursue his job as a financial advisor for a firm named Mass Mutual. While working for a new firm, he developed an interest in an offbeat passion for being a pilot. He researched a lot and gave his best efforts, and studied very hard to meet the requirements to be a pilot of Citation CE500.
He went on to purchase a plane and started his own flying school, where he gave lessons from his experiences at Wood County Airport and described his love to fly airplanes. There are multiple images of his work as a corporate pilot and a flight instructor on his Facebook account @Eric Seevers. His clients showed ultimate faith in his work as a flight instructor and he impressed with his skills as an instructor by training his clients in an excellent way.
He was a role model for his children and used to tell his kids that he was capable of executing anything that would come up in their minds and he proved it with his natural talent. Eric was a lovely person and a gem to the people around him. He put his best into everything he used to pursue, let it be a musician, a pilot, a parent, a husband, a friend, or a financial advisor.
Eric Scott Seevers
By Phillip Hickman
I lost one of the brightest stars in my universe Tuesday morning. Even though we were often at odds due to our inherited stubborn natures, I never stopped loving and supporting him, even from a distance at times. I was so very proud of him and his accomplishments. My world has forever changed.
Eric Scott Seevers departed this earth on October 18, 2022. He was born February 13, 1977, the youngest son of Lewis D. and Kathy S. Seevers of Parkersburg, WV.
He attended Emerson Elementary, Van Devender Jr. High School, and Parkersburg High School, where he excelled at skipping class and getting into trouble. His love of learning came later. It was in Jr. High he discovered a love of playing music after attending a Kiss concert with his sister Christie and her friend Brenda and decided to learn to play guitar. It turned out he was a natural at it and went on to form and play in several local heavy metal bands, Loaded, Liecus, and Social 66, for example. He later played bass in an 80′s cover band and guitar in a Kiss tribute band (complete with stage make-up and costumes). He kicked butt doing it.
Despite being a multi-talented songwriter ex/musician, he would go on to become a financial advisor for Mass Mutual. It was during his time at Mass Mutual that he discovered another passion; becoming a pilot. He worked hard and studied even harder to pass all the requirements to become a Citation CE500 Captain. He even bought a plane and started a flying school, giving lessons out of Wood County Airport to share his love of flying.
He told his kids they could do anything they put their minds to, and he was living proof of it. Eric was a true rockstar to the people that knew and loved him. He gave his all to everything he did, whether it was being a rocker, a financial advisor, a pilot, a father/son/brother/husband, or a friend.
He will be eternally missed by his wife Francella Quesada Castro; his son Tucker Stephens (Selena); his two daughters Cadence A. (Trenton) and Kambria L. Seevers, all of Parkersburg; his paternal grandmother Thelma J. Seevers of Vienna; his sister Christie Seevers of Parkersburg; his brother Kyle Seevers (Loretta) of Valdosta, GA; his niece Alex Seevers of Valdosta, GA; his nephew Michael Seevers (Jasmin) of Fort Stewart, Hinesville, GA; four great-nephews in Georgia; and grandson Michael Dowler of Parkersburg.
There will be no funeral service, but a celebration of life for friends and family will be held at a later date. Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg, is assisting the family with cremation arrangements.
Tim Gifford
Firefighter Tim Gifford and Monica Durban during a ceremony in August 2016. Gifford saved Durban after she was involved in a vehicle crash in 2008.
Eric Seevers
“[He was everything] from an accomplished musician, to a pilot, to a devoted father, but most importantly a good friend,” said Ronnie McCoy, a friend of two decades.
~
MARIETTA, Ohio — The Ohio State Highway Patrol has released the names of the two men who were killed when a private plane crashed at a car dealership parking lot in Marietta Tuesday morning.
The occupants were identified as 49-year-old Timothy F. Gifford of Orient, Ohio and 45-year-old Eric S. Seevers of Parkersburg, West Virginia.
Gifford was a firefighter with the Columbus Division of Fire and retired in May, according to Battalion Chief Jeffrey Geitter.
The crash happened at approximately 7:15 a.m. at the Pioneer Buick GMC dealership on Pike Street. The plane involved was a Beechcraft E90 King Air.
Marietta police told 10TV that the plane took off from John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 6:40 a.m.
Officers with the Marietta Police Department arrived at the scene and saw heavy fire and smoke in the area. Other emergency crews responded and the fire was put out.
No one who was on the ground was reportedly injured. OSHP said multiple vehicles and buildings at the dealership were damaged from the crash.
The crash remains under investigation.
MARIETTA, Ohio (WCMH) — Surveillance video from a nearby business shows the moment a plane crashed into the parking lot of a Marietta, Ohio car dealership Tuesday morning, killing two people.
The video shows the plane, which flew out of John Glenn International in Columbus, falling straight down out of the sky before exploding into a fireball, killing 49-year-old Timothy F. Gifford, of Orient, and Eric S. Seevers, 45, of West Virginia.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the plane was a Beechcraft E90 King Air. A spokesperson with John Glenn International Airport said the plane took off from its runways at 6:39 a.m. The plane was heading for the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport in Parkersburg, West Virginia, before crashing around 30 minutes later.
Dr. Shawn Pruchnicki, a former plane accident investigator who is now a professor at Ohio State University’s Center for Aviation Studies, points out the glow on the plane as it comes down and the smoke trail shows the plane was on fire in the air. He also said the angle of the plane means it was not in control.
“There’s several reasons why an airplane might do something like this and all of those will have to be examined, right?” Pruchnicki said. “Aircraft malfunction, pilot incapacitation. The fact the aircraft is on fire prior to impact can also lead down a certain path on why the airplane might have eventually become out of control.”
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. As of Tuesday evening, no cause for the crash has been released.
