What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Vectored for ILS approach, on landing, hit a building on short final. (.4)the pilot (plt) received abbreviated weather (wx) briefing for emergency medical service (EMS)/air ambulance flight (flt). Before flt, he expressed anxiety about possible low visibility for landing & timely transport of dying patient. During ILS runway 3 approach (rwy 3 apch), aircraft (acft) remained well above the glide slope until close to the middle marker; acft's speed decreased from 153 to 100 KTS, while vertical speed increased from 711'/MIN to about 1,250'/MIN descent. About 1 mi from rwy & 500' AGL (in fog), acft abruptly turned left of localizer course & gradually descended with no distress call from plt. Acft hit a pole, then flew into a building & burned. Low ceiling, fog & dark night conditions prevailed. Plt (recent ex-military helicopter plt) had logged/reported 3500 hrs of flt time & about 150 hrs in multiengine airplanes, but there was evidence he lacked experience with actual instrument apchs in fixed-wing acft; he had difficulty with instrument flying during recent training & FAA check flts. No preimpact mechanical problem was found with acft/engines. No ILS anomalies were found. Flt n urse was using cellular phone, but no evidence was found of interference with acft's navigational system. Visibility & ceiling destination were less than forecast at time of plt's preflt wx briefing. Paramedic was only survior.
As the FAA filed it
VECTORED FOR ILS APPROACH, ON LANDING, HIT A BUILDING ON SHORT FINAL. (.4)THE PILOT (PLT) RECEIVED ABBREVIATED WEATHER (WX) BRIEFING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS)/AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHT (FLT). BEFORE FLT, HE EXPRESSED ANXIETY ABOUT POSSIBLE LOW VISIBILITY FOR LANDING & TIMELY TRANSPORT OF DYING PATIENT. DURING ILS RUNWAY 3 APPROACH (RWY 3 APCH), AIRCRAFT (ACFT) REMAINED WELL ABOVE THE GLIDE SLOPE UNTIL CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE MARKER; ACFT'S SPEED DECREASED FROM 153 TO 100 KTS, WHILE VERTICAL SPEED INCREASED FROM 711'/MIN TO ABOUT 1,250'/MIN DESCENT. ABOUT 1 MI FROM RWY & 500' AGL (IN FOG), ACFT ABRUPTLY TURNED LEFT OF LOCALIZER COURSE & GRADUALLY DESCENDED WITH NO DISTRESS CALL FROM PLT. ACFT HIT A POLE, THEN FLEW INTO A BUILDING & BURNED. LOW CEILING, FOG & DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED. PLT (RECENT EX-MILITARY HELICOPTER PLT) HAD LOGGED/REPORTED 3500 HRS OF FLT TIME & ABOUT 150 HRS IN MULTIENGINE AIRPLANES, BUT THERE WAS EVIDENCE HE LACKED EXPERIENCE WITH ACTUAL INSTRUMENT APCHS IN FIXED-WING ACFT; HE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH INSTRUMENT FLYING DURING RECENT TRAINING & FAA CHECK FLTS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND WITH ACFT/ENGINES. NO ILS ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. FLT N URSE WAS USING CELLULAR PHONE, BUT NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF INTERFERENCE WITH ACFT'S NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM. VISIBILITY & CEILING DESTINATION WERE LESS THAN FORECAST AT TIME OF PLT'S PREFLT WX BRIEFING. PARAMEDIC WAS ONLY SURVIOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N117AC · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.