The Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 was found Tuesday night approximately one mile West of the Catalina Island Airport. It crashed shortly after takeoff, killing five on board. Weather reports indicated low clouds. Thus, the aircraft would have encountered “instrument conditions” in a matter of seconds after leaving the runway.

The aircraft turned right shortly after takeoff. Normally, the aircraft would have proceeded straight ahead until reaching at least 400 feet. The turn suggests one of two things – either failure of the right engine or disorientation upon losing visual contact with the horizon.

Compare this incident with the Cessna 310 crash. Similar to the incident here, the Cessna’s pilot chose to take off relying solely on instruments to guide him. The twin-engine Cessna crashed shortly following take-off, after the plane made a sharp turn to the left. The immediate left turn – directly into a transmission tower – suggested failure of the plane’s left engine or, alternatively, disorientation upon entering instrument conditions. Ultimately, it was determined that the Cessna pilot’s negligence caused the crash. 

Engine failure — or failure of the instruments upon which a pilot must rely upon entering clouds — can be the result of a defect in the equipment or the result of improperly conducted inspections and repairs. Other potential factors include a failure to warn pilots of known dangers, safety issues at the airport premises, communication errors, or interference with the pilot’s ability to operate the plane, among others.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation will be ongoing. Usually it takes at least two years for the NTSB to issue its report. However, NTSB reports are of little consequence in a lawsuit. In fact, they are inadmissible as evidence at trial. Aviation lawyers who conduct their own inspections find that the NTSB’s report is incorrect around 50% of the time.