Beech 58 accident near Topeka, Kansas, April 22, 2011
On April 22, 2011 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N580EA, was destroyed in an accident during approach (IFR missed approach) near Topeka, Kansas (Philip Billard Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s minimal experience flying in actual instrument conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2011 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Topeka, Kansas · Philip Billard Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N580EA · registry record · serial TH-316
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was cleared for a localizer approach to the airport in instrument conditions. However, the pilot overshot the final approach course and decided to perform a missed approach. While climbing during the missed approach, the pilot requested and was cleared to fly a global positioning satellite (GPS) approach to the airport. The pilot was maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) to set up for the GPS approach when the airplane departed controlled flight and impacted terrain. The airplane fragmented and a postcrash fire ensued. Crush angles on fragmented pieces of the airplane indicated the airplane struck the ground in a left descending turn at high speed. Radar data showed the airplane maneuvering north-northeast of the airport in a left descending turn before it disappeared from radar. The weather conditions at the airport at the time of the accident were reported as a 500-foot overcast ceiling and 10 miles visibility. According to the pilot’s records, in the 5 months since he received his instrument rating, he had logged 0.7 hours of instrument time. His total time logged as flying in actual instrument conditions was 11 hours. Additionally, the pilot received his multiengine airplane rating 2 months before the accident and had logged 28.7 total hours of multiengine airplane flight time. It is likely that that the pilot became disoriented while maneuvering in IMC to set up for the GPS approach and lost control of the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR missed approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Air traffic/operating proc › Approach control procedure › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 438 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 398 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,624.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 2010
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Precision AG & Seed Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: TQK Scott City KS at 3:45 pm
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 5,099 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 5:19 pm from TOP, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.