Sino Swearingen Crash Investigation Continues

The investigation into the crash of a Sino Swearigen test aircraft continues. Sino Swearingen lost its chief test pilot, Carroll Beeler, last month when the SJ30-2 twinjet he was flying crashed in rugged terrain north of Del Rio, Texas. Beeler, 59, had taken off from San Antonio, and was alone in the airplane. A chase aircraft witnessed the crash and reported it. The jet was flying at 0.9 Mach when it crashed, according to the San Antonio News-Express. No additional factual information has been released indicating any preliminary causes of the accident. The SJ30-2 is being marketed as a high-performance, long-range, single-pilot-certified, seven-seat twinjet. The SJ30-2 will reportedly operate at altitudes up to 49,000 feet and maintain a “sea-level cabin” to 41,000 feet. AVweb will monitor the investigation and report on any future investigative findings.