20041218032319A

(-23) On December 18, 2004, a Beechcraft BE-90, N55EP, was on takeoff for an IFR flight from slc to las vegas, NV; when the aircraft impacted a small communication antennae located off the centerline of runway 35. (-23 amendment) this flight departed Salt Lake City, Utah international airport (kslc) for a return flight to las vegas, Nevada airport (klas). The flight was issued an IFR clearance with instructions to turn left after takeoff to 260 degrees. After takeoff the aircraft hit a national weather service (NWS) antenna located west of runway 35, its assigned takeoff runway. Following the impact with the antenna, the flight declared an emergency and requested an immediate vector to return to kslc because it could not maintain altitude. Salt Lake City-air traffic control tower (slc-atct) attempted to vector the aircraft for an IFR approach and landing on runway 17 at kslc. The pilot reported unable to maintain altitude and requested an immediate approach clearance. Subsequently the pilot reported unable to receive the localizer frequency. Some time following the pilot reported able to maintain altitude and requested clearance to the nearest airport that was reporting visual meteorological conditions. Slc-atct informed him that would be provo, Utah. The pilot then requested vector clearance to the airport at provo (pvu). Slc-atct called the pilot's attention to the fact that he was not flying his assigned heading. The pilot reported that the aircraft's instruments indicated that he was on the correct heading. There may have been a problem with the accuracy of the aircraft's horizontal situation indicator (HSI) as well. Upon landing at provo, the pilot made a visual inspection of the aircraft to determine the damage. When he talked to me, he informed me there were several areas of damage: a metal object impacted the leading edge of the right wing in between the engine nacelle and the fuselage, there were some holes in the fuselage on the right side near the nose, corners missing from two blades of the right (starboard) propeller, and a slice in the leading edge of the starboard horizontal stabilizer. The pilot told me that he shut the right engine down for a brief period of time because the airplane was vibrating so severely. It was at this time that he reported being unable to hold altitude. He said that he trouble shot the situation and then decided to restart the engine to maintain altitude. At this time he then proceeded to provo. He was not sure what he hit. Subsequently, Salt Lake City airport authority (slcaa) conducted a search along runway 35 and discovered the object that was hit. It was an unused antenna owned by the national weather service (NWS). Slcaa said the height of the antenna was less than 100 feet above ground level (AGL). The following morning I met the pilot at provo to conduct an in-person interview and a visual inspection of the aircraft. My visual inspection of the airplane confirmed what the pilot told me over the telephone the previous night. The accident package from slc-atct didn't arrive at my office until February 25, 2005. The pilot told me during the interview that meteorological conditions prior to takeoff were less than that required for a normal instrument landing system (ILS) approach and landing. However, just before takeoff the visibility reached the instrument flight rules (IFR) landing minimums of 1/2 mile. At the time of the interview, it never occurred to me that the pilot was occupying the right seat which is normally the copilot's seat. I learned this fact after talking to the NTSB 2 to 3 weeks later after he included that fact in his report to them. This is a final report.