20000118011859A

(-23) On January 18, 2000, approx. 1202 EDT, a Beechcraft king-air, BE-C90, N74CC, was destroyed as a result of impacting a communication antenna wire during a simplified directional facility (sdf) approach to runway 4 at the Somerset-Pulaski county airport, Somerset, KY. The a/c was operating in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) weather conditions on IFR flight plan under 14 CFR 91 from columbus, Ohio (osu). The a/c was consumed by as post crash-fire upon impact with the terrain. The rated ATP and three (3) passengers received fatal injuries as a result of the accident. Review of the maintenance records is pending receipt from the owner. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were : ceilings 700 feet overcast, visibility 10 status miles, temperature 36 degrees f, dewpoint 31 degrees f, and wind 320 degrees at 7 knots. The current airport facility directory (SE-1) contained a note indicating the sdf runway 4 approach was out of service indefintely. Nothing follows (.4)on January 18, 2000, at 1202 eastern standard time, a Beech C-90, N74CC, was destroyed after striking a guy wire on a communications tower, as it maneuvered near the Somerset-Pulaski county-j.t. wilson field airport (sme), Somerset, Kentucky. The certificated airline transport pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the corporate flight. The flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, and conducted under 14 CFR part 91. On January 17th, the pilot and passengers flew from northeast philadelphia airport (pne), philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Ohio state university airport (osu), columbus, Ohio, where they remained overnight. While there, the airplane was serviced with 210 gallons of jet-a aviation grade fuel. The line person reported that the airplane was "topped" [filled to capacity]. According to transcripts from the federal aviation administration (FAA), on the morning of January 18, at 0834, the pilot contacted the dayton automated flight service station (afss), and filed an IFR flight plan from columbus to Somerset. The pilot reported the airplane was a C-90 with the "I" equipment suffix, which indicated the airplane was equipped with loran, vor/dme, or ins, and transponder with mode c. after filing the flight plan, the pilot requested the Somerset forecast and winds aloft. The pilot was told that Somerset did not have a forecast, and was given the forecast for london, Kentucky (loz), located 26 nautical miles (NM) to the east which included: "...five hundred scattered, occasional ceiling five hundred broken, one thousand overcast visibility five [statute] miles and mist, occasional [visibility] two miles, light drizzle, and mist, and winds from one forty at seven [140 degrees at 7 knots], and of course you're, I'm sure you're familiar with the fact that there's icing and maybe some turbulence across that route and occasional I f r conditions." The pilot contacted the dayton afss again at 1004, and requested more information on the latest forecast and temperature at Somerset. He was advised that the 0954 observation at Somerset reported a ceiling of 300 feet overcast, and the temperature and dewpoint were 2 degrees celsius and -1 degree celsius respectively. In addition, icing was forecast for the entire route, and the pilot was advised of pilot reports for both light rime ice and clear ice. Additionally, between 1100 and 1500, lexington, Kentucky (lex), was forecast for winds from 330 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 6 statue miles, ceilings of 800 feet overcast, with occasionally visibility 5 statue miles in mist or light fog, and ceilings of 500 feet overcast. The forecast for london was revised at 0915, and up to 1300, called for ceilings as low as 100 feet overcast, and visibility one statue mile with mist. At the end of the call, the pilot was offered the winds aloft and notices to airmen (NOTAMS), and he replied that he already had them. The airplane departed Ohio state university airport at 1047, and was instructed to contact columbus departure control. Later, control was transferred to the indianapolis air route traffic control center (ARTCC). No problems were reported during the departure or en route phases of the flight. At 1140, the ARTCC controller asked the pilot if he had the Somerset weather. The pilot replied that he did. The controller then asked him what approach he was planning for, and the pilot replied that he wanted the "sdf" (simplified directional finding) approach. At 1145:15, the controller stated, "November seven four charlie charlie, cleared for the s d f approach to uh Somerset, maintain four thousand until your established on the approach." The pilot replied, "ok maintain four till established (unintelligible), thank you four charlie charlie." The controller then repeated the approach clearance and this time specified the sdf rwy 4 approach, and the pilot again repeated that he was to maintain 4,000 feet until established and was cleared for the sdf rwy 4 approach at Somerset. At 1148:01, the pilot transmitted, "ah indy four charlie charlie." The call was not answered by indianapolis ARTCC, and there were no further transmissions between indianapolis ARTCC and the airplane. Several witnesses resided in an area northeast of the communications tower, and at a lower elevation than the hill on which the tower was erected. Two of the witnesses were inside their residences, and upon hearing a noise, went to the door and saw an airplane descend to the ground, after which, it erupted in fire. One witness thought the airplane was on fire before ground impact. Another witness reported he heard a noise and looked up. He saw the airplane spinning as it descended. He also thought it was missing part of one wing, and was on fire prior to ground impact. An additional witness, located to the west of the accident site, reported that the airplane passed very low over his residence and a power line to his residence. He could hear the engine(s), spitting and sputtering like they were out of gas. He saw the airplane top a mountain and drop over the hill, after which, he lost sight of the airplane. He heard three loud noises about 3 to 5 seconds later, and believed the airplane had crashed. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight, at 37 degrees, 0 minutes, 30 seconds north latitude, and 84 degrees, 34 minutes, 40 seconds west longitude.