19991219037579A

(.19) On December 19, 1999, at about 2035 eastern daylight time, a Beech E-90, N75CF, registered to the university of south carolina athletic department, operating as a 14 CFR part 91 positioning flight, crashed during an area surveillance radar approach to runway 24 Beaufort county airport, (73J) Beaufort, south carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire. The airline transport-rated pilot-in-command (PIC) was fatally injured, and the copilot (cp) sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from hilton head, south carolina, about 13 minutes before the accident. The cp stated they departed hxd at about 2022, and activated their IFR flight plan. The PIC was flying the airplane. They climbed to their assigned altitude, and were given a frequency change to marine Beaufort approach control. They completed the descent and landing checklist; all flight operations were normal. The flaps were extended to the approach position, the landing gear was lowered, and the propeller was set at 1,900 RPM. The airspeed was about 140, decreased to 130, and then down to 120 knots. They were cleared for the approach on about a six-mile final. The PIC was on the instruments and the cp stated he was outside, and checking the radios. They broke out of the clouds at about 900 feet, and were descending at about 480 feet-per-minute. The ceiling was overcast, ragged, and very dark with no visible horizon. The cp stated he could see some lights, but could not see the airport. He looked back inside the cockpit to check the radios, when he heard a thump. He thought the landing gear had collided with the terrain. The airplane started to cartwheel and eventually came to a complete stop inverted. The PIC yelled, "get me out of here." There were no other comments from the PIC. The cp stated he had difficulty in unbuckling his seatbelt. Once separated from the seatbelt, he climbed out of the cockpit area back into the passenger compartment, and exited the airplane through the main cabin door. He observed personnel walking towards the crash scene with flashlights and went towards their location. When they met, he stated the PIC was still in the airplane wreckage. He looked back at the airplane and observed a fire in the vicinity of the gear wheel. Two of the three people went to the crash site and h e was taken to an emergency vehicle for treatment. (-23) N75CF was conducting an asr approach to the Beaufort county airport, Beaufort, SC, runway 24. The aircraft was cleared for the approach to runway 24 and impacted the ground short of the runway. (.4)the PIC was cleared for an asr approach to the destination airport. The co-pilot was looking outside to obtain a visual reference on the destination airport. They broke out of the clouds at about 900 feet, and were descending at about 480 feet per minute. The ceiling was overcast, ragged, and very dark with no visible horizon. The co-pilot looked back inside the cockpit to check the radios when he heard a thump. The PIC had continued the descent below the minimum descent altitude, the airplane collided with the marsh and crashed.