20011201031369A

(-23) Air carrier, inc's fast check 600, N499BA, a Cessna 208B on a FAR part 135 cargo flight from lit to eky was cleared to intercept the localizer, cleared for the ILS to runway 05 at eky. The aircraft was no longer reported on radar by atl center during the approach at an altitude of 900'. Subsequent search located the aircraft wreckage approximately .3 miles west of the approach end of runway 05, eky. Both occupants were found deceased in the wreckage. The weather one hour prior to the accident through the next seven hours was reported by the AWOS located on the airport as never any greater then 1/4 mile visibility with 100' overcast ceilings. The ILS was flight checked by avn and was reported as meeting all parameters. The aircraft heading at impact was 270, 22 degrees nose down and 23 degrees left banking attitude. (.19) on December 1, 2001, about 0143 central standard time, a Cessna 208B, N499BA, registered to and operated by air carriers, inc., as flight fast check 600, collided with trees after being cleared for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 05, at the Bessemer Airport, Bessemer, ala bama. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 135, on-demand, non-scheduled, domestic cargo flight. The airplane was destroyed and the commercial-rated pilot and a pilot-rated passenger (another company pilot) were fatally injured. The flight originated approximately 2358 from the adams field airport, little rock, Arkansas. According to preliminary air traffic control information, at 0127:25, the flight was cleared for the ILS approch to runway 05, and at 0137:48, a flightcrew member advised the controller that the flight was about to intercept the localizer. The pilot was then advised frequency change to the common traffic advisory frequency was approved. Preliminary review of radar data from atlanta air route traffic control center (ARTCC) associated with the accident airplane revealed at 0142:11, a radar target indicating 900 feet mean sea level (MSL) was noted. The airplane at that time was located approximately 225 degrees and .43 nautical mile from the approach end of runway 05. Another radar target indicating 1,000 feet was noted at 0142:35; at that time the airplane was located 005 degrees and .20 nautical mile from the approach end of runway 05. A witness who was on the airport waiting for the flight to arrive reported that the weather conditions consisted of heavy fog. He reported hearing the engine sound at a distance then heard a sharp sound he associated with a shotgun report. Preliminary examination of the accident site revealed the airplane crashed in a wooded area. The airplane came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of 280 degrees, at 33 degrees 18.794 minutes north latitude and 086 degrees 56.145 minutes west longitude. That location when plotted was located 331 degrees and .34 nautical mile from the approach end of runway 05. Damage to trees at decreasing heights were noted along the wreckage path. The distance from the first tree contact to where the airplane came to rest as measured to the trailing edge of the right elevator was 107 feet. The magnetic heading from the first tree contact to the main wreckage was 277 degrees. An automated weather observing system (AWOS-3) is installed at the airport. Review of the weather reports for the time 0130, 0135, and 0140 local indicate in part that the visibility for each was 1/4 statute mileand an overcast ceiling existed at 100 feet above ground level (AGL) for each of the three reports.