A tiny passenger plane crashed after takeoff from London Southend Airport on Sunday, causing a huge fireball and dense plumes of smoke seen all over Essex. The plane, a Beech B200 Super King Air heading to the Netherlands, crashed just a few moments after lifting off about 4 pm.
Inside the Aircraft: Beech B200 Super King Air Specifications
A Beech B200 Super King Air is a twin turboprop aircraft characterized by its performance and versatility in the air. The air-tecm.com website says that the aircraft has 9 passenger capacity and 2 crew. It is therefore very desirable for either business or medical use.
The plane has a 57ft wingspan and a wing area of 303sq ft and is 14 feet 10 inches high. The B200 can cruise at a top speed of 278 knots and operate up to 35,000 feet service ceiling. It has a maximum takeoff and landing weight of 12,500 pounds.
Aircraft Design and Enhancements
It features an all-metal low-wing structure with a rectangular gear and twin turboprop configuration. It has a T-tail and improved features such as robust engines, increased wingspan, increased pressurisation of the cabin, higher fuel capacity, and increased operation weights.
In a statement, Essex officials said, “We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Southend Airport. We were alerted shortly before 4 pm to reports of a collision involving one 12-metre plane. We are working with all emergency services at the scene now and that work will be ongoing for several hours. We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.”
Historical Echo: Similar Crash in 1987 at Southend
From the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives, a crash with similar circumstances occurred on September 12, 1987, when another Beechcraft 200 Super King Air crashed at Southend Airport. The aircraft immediately after take off with only the pilot on board.
