# Accident 19971210038139A: Beech A100, Charlotte, NC, December 10, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 10, 1997, 23:21 local time
- Place: Charlotte, NC
- Airport: Charlotte-Douglas International
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach-IFR
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: S1FA
- Location: 35.2307° N, 80.9097° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2307&lon=-80.9097&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30SA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A100
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A28
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 14,320 total, 27 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98FA023) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971210038139A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)FOLLOWING A MISSED APPROACH AT THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT REQUESTED WEATHER INFORMATION FOR TWO NEARBY AIRPORTS. ONE AIRPORT WAS 53 MILES NORTHEAST WITH A CLOUD CEILING OF 900 FEET, AND VISIBILITY 6 MILES. THE PILOT OPTED FOR THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT, 21 MILES SOUTHWEST, WITH AN INDEFINITE CEILING OF ZERO, & VISIBILITY 1/4 MILE. AFTER COMPLETING THE SECOND MISSED APPROACH, THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED TO THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT. RADAR VECTORS WERE PROVIDED TO THE ILS RUNWAY 36L. ON THE FINAL APPROACH, THE FLIGHT VEERED TO THE RIGHT OF THE LOCALIZER AND DESCENDED ABRUPTLY. LAST RECORDED ALTITUDE FOR THE FLIGHT WAS BELOW THE DECISION HEIGHT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPORT NAVIGATIONAL AIDS FOR THE APPROACH, AND THE AIRPLANE'S NAVIGATION RECEIVERS WERE FOUND TO BE OPERATIONAL. POSTMORTEM EXAMINATIONS OF THE PILOT DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-EXISTING DISEASES, AND TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUGS. (-23)ON DECEMBER 17, 1997, APPROXIMATELY 2321L, N30SA WAS MAKING AN ILS APPROACH TO RWY 36L.  N30SA MADE A SUDDEN RIGHT TURN AND HIT SOME TREES.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY .2 MILES LEFT OF RWY 36R, OFF AIRPORT PROP                            ERTY. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT BY CHARLOTTE ATC WAS AT 800 FT. MSL.  THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS FOG, 1/8 MI. VISIBILITY, WITH AN RVR OF 1800FT. ON RWY 36L.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98FA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98FA023), Dec 11, 1997: Beech A100 (N30SA), Charlotte, NC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's continued approach below decision height without reference to the runway environment, and his failure to execute a missed approach.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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