What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On December 9, 2002 at approximately 1140 central daylight time, a bech 1900C airplane, N127YV, registered to and operated by Raytheon aircraft services inc., of wichita, Kansas, collided with terrain approximately 9 miles north of the Mena international municipal airport, Mena, Arkansas. The 3 occupants, all in possession of an airline transport pilots certificate, 2 of which were passengers, sustained fatal injuries. A visual flight plan was filed. At departure from wichita, KS, VFR conditions prevailed. As the flight proceeded on course, visual meteorological conditions deteriorated resulting in an estimated broken cloud layer at 6,000 feet above ground level. The flight crew elected to remain above the broken layer and continue on to the destination, Mena, AR. Upon arriving to the northwest of the destination, the flight crew began a VFR descent. Air traffic control informed the flight crew that radar coverage would be lost and advised frequency chance and transmit 1200 on the transponder, the flight personnel responded. The last recorded radar altitude readout was at 2700-FT. The aircraft impacted rising terrain at approximately 2200 ft MSL. No aircraft difficulty was discovered.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON DECEMBER 9, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1140 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BECH 1900C AIRPLANE, N127YV, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT SERVICES INC., OF WICHITA, KANSAS, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES NORTH OF THE MENA INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, MENA, ARKANSAS. THE 3 OCCUPANTS, ALL IN POSSESSION OF AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOTS CERTIFICATE, 2 OF WHICH WERE PASSENGERS, SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. A VISUAL FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. AT DEPARTURE FROM WICHITA, KS, VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AS THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED ON COURSE, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DETERIORATED RESULTING IN AN ESTIMATED BROKEN CLOUD LAYER AT 6,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE FLIGHT CREW ELECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE THE BROKEN LAYER AND CONTINUE ON TO THE DESTINATION, MENA, AR. UPON ARRIVING TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE DESTINATION, THE FLIGHT CREW BEGAN A VFR DESCENT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL INFORMED THE FLIGHT CREW THAT RADAR COVERAGE WOULD BE LOST AND ADVISED FREQUENCY CHANCE AND TRANSMIT 1200 ON THE TRANSPONDER, THE FLIGHT PERSONNEL RESPONDED. THE LAST RECORDED RADAR ALTITUDE READOUT WAS AT 2700-FT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 FT MSL. NO AIRCRAFT DIFFICULTY WAS DISCOVERED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.