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On May 12, 2000, Kent Chatagnier, pilot along
with 5 passengers boarded a Beechcraft Beech
BE-95-B55 Baron, N4005A for a flight to
Galliano, Louisiana. The passengers were headed
on a fishing trip in Louisiana. The instrument
rated pilot, completed his preflight check and
departed runway 22 at Hobby Airport, Houston,
Texas.
Upon investigation, it was learned that during
the ground preflight, the pilot failed to pull
the steering lock from the yolk column. The yolk
lock is used to secure the aircraft while on the
ground in a parked position from light to heavy
winds.
The private pilot was issued an instrument
airplane rating on October 12, 1979. On October
22, 1981, the pilot obtained a multi-engine
airplane rating. Chatagnier’s last biennial
flight review was completed on November 21,
1999, in the accident airplane.
Chatagnier stopped logging flights in his
logbook in 1992. According to an insurance
application filled out approximately one year
prior to the accident, Chatagnier had
accumulated a total of 3,000 flight hours, of
which 740 hours were in the same make and model
as the accident airplane.
Chatagnier was issued a third class medical
certificate on January 25, 2000, with the
limitation "holder shall wear corrective
lenses." On his last FAA medical application
dated January 25, 2000, Chatagnier reported
having accumulated 4,111 total flight hours.
In Chatagnier’s earlier years he had a love for
racing cars. He began in his sophomore year in
High School, 1953. Chatagnier went on to college
were he studied mechanical engineering. While in
college the young student purchased a Pontiac in
which he turned it into a dragster and began
going out on the open circuit to race.
On June 19, 1960, Gulf Freeway Dragstrip
Houston, Texas Chatagnier was the worlds first
to reach 200+ mph on the 1/4 Mile Run at 201.78
MPH he was driving a supercharged, fuel
injected, 430 cubic inch Pontiac
with an engine of 825 Horsepower.
In 1965 Chatagnier went into business for
himself and opened a speed shop called "Kent’s
Speed and Auto Supply" in Groves, Texas. In the
early 1970’s he moved his business Beaumont and
renamed his business “American High
Performance”. Chatagnier continued to race cars,
he began racing funny cars a notetable car was
the "The Texas."
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