This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this post will be corrected when the preliminary report is released.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N16PV
- History of Flight:
On October 21, 2025, at about 1101 local time, a Beechcraft G58 Baron, N16PV, registered to Align Aviation LLC out of The Woodlands, Texas, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Lafayette, Louisiana. The three occupants onboard sustained fatal injuries. The cross-country flight originated from Houston-David Wayne Hooks Airport (DWH/KDWH), Houston, Texas, and was destined to an unconfirmed location.
According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data (figure 1), the airplane departed DWH and climbed to an altitude of 9,200 ft. The airplane was cruising at 160 knots (groundspeed) and the flight appeared uneventful. At 1042:31, the airplane started a descent, headed northeast towards its unknown destination in the vicinity of Lafayette. At 1100:07, the airplane was at 1700 ft, 156 knots GS, when it continued descending and started a right hand turn. At 1100:46, the airplane was at 1275 ft, 105 knots GS, and descending 1000 feet per minute (fpm). At 1101:07, the airplane was at 925 ft, 92 knots GS, and descending 700 fpm. At 1101:20, the airplane appears to have departed controlled flight. It was at 825 ft, 75 knots GS, with a positive vertical rate. The last ADS-B return was recorded at 1101:26, the airplane was "on the ground" with a reported groundspeed of 12 knots, and an average rate of -4200 fpm.
- Pilot Information:
unknown at this point.
- Airplane Information:
The accident airplane, serial number TH-2144, was manufactured in 2006. It was a low-wing, six-seat twin-engine monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear configuration. The airplane was powered by two 300 horsepower Continental IO-550-C six cylinder, reciprocating engines.
The stall speed for a Beechcraft G58 Baron is 73 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed) in a power-off landing configuration with wheels and flaps down.
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane came to rest upright and there was no post crash fire. Both wings and tail remained attached to the fuselage, and there was no debris field leading to the airplane. Both engines remained attached to their engine mounts. It appears all propeller blades remained attached to each propeller hub. One propeller blade on the right engine remained straight and undamaged (view of the other blades was difficult via current accident site photos). The cockpit/passenger cabin remained largely intact. The entire bottom part of the airframe sustained upward crush damage. The impact appears consistent with a low altitude aerodynamic stall/spin with little to no forward airspeed.
- Weather:
(1) Brief:
At 1053, the weather observation facility at KLFT, recorded wind from 220° at 8 knots, 10 miles visibility, a scattered ceiling (SCT) at 2,800 ft AGL, temperature 27.8°C, dew point 20.6°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude was 1410 ft.
(2) METARs:
METAR KLFT 211453Z 19006KT 10SM CLR 25/21 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP183 T02500206 53013
METAR KLFT 211553Z 22008KT 10SM SCT028 28/21 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP186 T02780206 <<
METAR KLFT 211653Z 30005KT 10SM BKN033 29/21 A3007 RMK AO2 SLP183 T02890206
METAR KLFT 211753Z 20007KT 170V260 10SM FEW033 30/21 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T03000206 10300 20178 58008
METAR KOPL 211535Z AUTO 24007KT 10SM CLR 27/20 A3008 RMK AO2 T02650200
METAR KOPL 211555Z AUTO 23009KT 10SM CLR 27/20 A3008 RMK AO2 T02740201 <<
METAR KOPL 211615Z AUTO 23009KT 10SM SCT026 27/20 A3008 RMK AO2 T02740200 <<
METAR KOPL 211635Z AUTO 27006KT 10SM OVC026 28/20 A3008 RMK AO2 T02780201
(3) Area Forecast Discussion:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Lake Charles LA 638 AM CDT Tue Oct 21 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... - Mild weather returns briefly this afternoon before another frontal system bring about a quick round of isolated to scattered precipitation tomorrow. - Winds will shift out of the north Tuesday by evening ushering in dry air, mild highs, and cool morning lows through Thursday. - Dry weather will remain in place for much of the area through Friday. Fire weather will be the main concern the weekend. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Thursday night) Issued at 629 AM CDT Tue Oct 21 2025 High pressure is currently situated to our east and is providing robust WAA across the region. Temperatures will be uncomfortably warm for late October, with temperatures Tuesday morning around 70 degrees along the coast and highs close to 90 degrees. Thankfully, we wont have to wait long for relief as a shortwave trough will push into the region. This disturbance is well removed from any large scale synoptic support. CAMs show a broken line of showers and storms moving across the region starting around noon and heading offshore by the evening. Digging a little deeper into the environment, CAPE values will be roughly 1000 J/Kg, while 0-6 km shear will be around 20 knots. This combo can support thunderstorms but not widespread severe weather. Close to the coast, conditions will be better for strong to severe thunderstorms, so we cant completely rule out the possibility of damaging winds. Unfortunately, rainfall will be sparse with this front, with only a tenth of an inch expected area-wide. Behind the front, cool north winds will drop our temperatures several degrees, dropping our lows back into the 50s with highs dropping back to climatological norms. && .LONG TERM... (Friday through Tuesday) Issued at 629 AM CDT Tue Oct 21 2025 After the passage of the cool front, high pressure will build back in and shift to the east leading to a steady flow of southerly winds. We will see temperatures slowly start to creep back up but will stay comfortable with highs in the mid-80s. Through the rest of the work week, conditions will be dry with little to no chance for rain until Saturday. Going into the weekend, a robust low will dig south from the Rockies, and its associated cold front will move through the region. Unlike the front early in the week, this system will have dynamic support from the closed low. While it is still too early to nail down any specifics with this system, widespread rain will be likely and provide much-needed relief from the ongoing drought. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 629 AM CDT Tue Oct 21 2025 Patchy ground fog ongoing this morning will dissipate by 13Z. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of a cold front moving through the area from late this morning through early this evening. Light southerly winds ahead of the front will turn northerly following it`s passage. Periods of MVFR ceilings may briefly occur in the vicinity of thunderstorms and the frontal boundary, but should improve to VFR following FROPA. Jones && .MARINE... Issued at 629 AM CDT Tue Oct 21 2025 Steady onshore flow around 15 knots will become offshore on Tuesday with the passage of a cold front. As the line moves offshore Tuesday evening, showers and thunderstorms should be expected. Behind the front, winds will be gusting over 20 knots, and a small craft advisory will be possible on Wednesday.
- Additional Information:
Spin Avoidance and Recovery Guidance
In March 2006, Raytheon Aircraft Corporation (RAC) issued Safety Communiqué No. 249, "Spin Avoidance and Spin Recovery Characteristics," which includes the following information:
A spin can occur whenever an airplane is stalled and is subject to yaw input. Yaw input can be provided by rudder, asymmetric power, aileron, p-factor, or any combination of these forces. Any time symmetric power is allowed to continue through spin entry and into a developed spin, a dangerous and possible unrecoverable spin (to the left or right) could be encountered.
According to the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook:
No multi-engine airplane is certified for spins, and their spin characteristic is generally poor. As very few twins have been spin tested (none are required to), the recommended spin recovery techniques are based only on the best information available. The departure from controlled flight may be quite abrupt and possibly disorienting.
FAA Advisory Circular 61-67C, "Stall and Spin Awareness Training," includes the follow information:
The center of gravity has a significant effect on stability and stall/spin recovery. As the center of gravity is moved aft, the amount of elevator deflection needed to stall the airplane at a given load factor will be reduced. An increased angle of attack will be achieved with less elevator control force. This could make the entry into inadvertent stalls easier, and during the subsequent recovery, it would be easier to generate higher load factors due to the reduced elevator control forces.
Following a series of fatal accidents in Beech Baron- and Travel Air-series airplanes, the National Transportation Safety Board issued Safety Recommendations A-81-49 through -53 on May 7, 1981, because of the propensity of these airplanes to enter flat spins under conditions of high asymmetric power and low speed. Training for a potential emergency, such as an engine-out condition, "may be more hazardous than the emergency itself." In 1974, the U.S. Army issued a report on the stall characteristics of the Beech T-42A, which is like the B55B and 95A airplanes. Section 3, page 6, of the Beech D95A Owner's Manual states: "This is a normal category airplane. Maneuvers, including spins, are prohibited." Section 4, page 9, states: "If a spin is entered inadvertently, cut the power on both engines. Apply full rudder opposite the direction of rotation and then move the elevator forward until rotation stops. When the controls are fully effective, bring the nose up smoothly to a level flight attitude. Don't pull out too abruptly.
