One of two aircraft currently being used in active
flight test for the SJ30-2 bizjet program has been involved in a
fatal aircraft accident. The accident occurred during what was
reported to have been a test flight involving some mode of flutter
investigation.
ANN is still pulling together all the details, but the Texas DPS
has confirmed that a Sino-Swearingen SJ30-2, N138BF, went down at
1100 EST Saturday (04.26.03) during a test flight that originated
in San Antonio, TX. Chief Test Pilot, Carroll Beeler (59), was
the only person reported to have been on board at the time of the
crash, and was killed in the accident.
DPS officials told ANN that the aircraft collided with the rock
wall face of a tall hill about 50 NM from Del Rio, TX, in an area
so remote as to require helicopter transport to get the first
investigators to the scene. One report from an unnamed
Sino-Swearingen staffer indicates that the chase aircraft observed
what appeared to have been an uncommanded roll prior to the
accident. DPS officials claim the aircraft went down after flying
at speeds of ".9 Mach."
Sino-Swearingen Chief Test Pilot Carroll Beeler was an uncommon
aviator. Beeler was at the stick for the first flight of the seven
seat SJ30-2 on November 30, 2000, and prior to that, flew the
smaller/less powerful SJ30 proof-of-concept prototype.
Beeler was a Vietnam veteran/pilot, as well as a former NAS
Miramar IP, and an associate fellow of the Society of Experimental
Test Pilots. Beeler had logged more than 11,000 flight hours during
a nearly 40 year aviation career -- flying everything from crop
dusters to Mach 2 fighters. Beeler earned a Master of Science
degree from University of Southern California.
The
SJ30-2, seemingly destined to become one of the fastest light
bizjets in the world, is powered by two 2300 lb thrust
Williams-Rolls FJ44-2 turbofans, and boasts a 12.0 psi cabin
differential. The SJ30-2 biz-jet is a high-performance, long-range,
intercontinental, seven-place twinjet with an impressive 2,875
statute mile NBAA IFR range.
The SJ30-2 is designed to cruise at speeds in excess of Mach
.80, and has an Mmo of Mach .83. It operates at altitudes up to
49,000 feet and will maintain a "Sea level cabin" to 41,000 ft,
with the highest pressurization differential in the bizjet world.
The SJ30-2 was destined for single-pilot certification, and was
nearing the end of an aggressive and highly successful test
program. The accident will obviously have a negative effect on the
certification program, though the ultimate impact is hard to
estimate at this time.
Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation added a second aircraft to
the flight test program on March 9th, 2003, though the aircraft
involved in this accident was apparently the first conforming
flight test aircraft. [ANN Thanks the San Antonio Express-News
for their assistance in assembling this report].
** Report created 4/28/2003 Record
1 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 138BF
Make/Model: SJ30 Description:
SWEARINGEN EXP
Date: 04/26/2003 Time: 1510
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Fatal Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: DEL RIO State: TX Country:
US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT, ON A TEST FLIGHT, CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES,
ONE PERSON ON BOARD SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS
DESTROYED, DEL RIO, TX
INJURY DATA Total Fatal:
1
# Crew: 1 Fat:
1 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER: VFR
OTHER DATA
Activity: Other Phase:
Unknown Operation: General
Aviation
Departed: SAN ANTONIO,
TX
Dep Date: 04/26/2003 Dep. Time: 1413
Destination: SAN ANTONIO,
TX Flt Plan:
IFR Wx
Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: 30NNW DEL RIO, TX
Last Clearance: 1447Z SSTST02 IS CLRD TO WORK SAT 270 RADIAL
50 DME TO 120 DME
FAA FSDO: SAN ANTONIO, TX
(SW17)
Entry date: 04/28/2003
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