Preliminary report: King Air downed in severe weather

Hawker Beechcraft King Air B100, Corpus Christi, Texas, Oct. 26, 2009–N729MS, registered to Mazak Properties, was destroyed and the private pilot and three passengers killed when the airplane crashed after encountering severe weather. Before departure, the pilot, who was operating under Part 91, received three weather briefings from an automated flight service station. The briefings predicted severe weather along his intended route, and he altered his course so he could maneuver around and fly through holes in the weather. A preliminary review of the King Air’s flight path overlaid on a weather radar scan showed it was flying in an area of level 5 thunderstorm activity at the time of the accident.