Preliminary Reports
Violent Weather in Vicinity of King Air Crash Beech 200, Feb. 22, 2023, Little Rock, Arkansas
The pilot of the King Air that crashed just after takeoff, killing all five on board, had received warnings of low-level wind shear from both airport ATIS and ground control. Archived radar imagery also showed that the takeoff attempt was made just ahead of an advancing squall line that concentrated intense thunderstorm activity into a long, narrow storm front. During the nine minutes surrounding clearance to take off from Runway 18, winds at the airport shifted from 210 degrees at 19 knots with gusts to 27 to 300 degrees at 22 gusting to 40.
An airport surveillance camera recorded the takeoff and initial climb, followed by a plume of smoke just after the airplane passed out of sight. The runway was dry. Moments later the camera began to shake and captured images of blowing debris and heavy rain on the ramp. Examination of the wreckage found evidence that both engines were producing power at impact, with no suggestion of any prior abnormality.
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