20060317011729A

(-23) An IFR flight plan was filed for the personal flight from kgdv to kstp. According to preliminary communication and radar data all communications were normal. At 1934, the pilot advised ATC that he was having communications problems and at 1937, he was cleared to climb to flight level 270. The pilot did acknowledge the instruction and no further transmissions were received from him. At 2032, ATC became concerned because the airplane was approaching its destination and no request to descend had been received from the pilot. Multiple attempts to make contact with the pilot by ATC were unsuccessful and the airplane's reported altitude began to fluctuate, at times indicating that the airplane was 300 feet higher than the assigned altitude. At 2040 the airplane over flew st. paul Minnesota and assistance was requested from the north American aerospace defense command (norad). At 2049, fighter aircraft were "scrambled" to intercept the accident airplane. The fighters visually acquired the airplane at 2114, and after closing with the airplane, attempted to look into the cockpit. The pilots described that they observed either glare from the setting sun or frost on the windows. An attempt to gain the pilot's attention by firing flares and doing a flyby with their afterburners on was unsuccessful. At 2146, two more fighters were "scrambled" by norad to relieve the original intercepting flight. The replacement fighters began tracking the airplane at 2204 and also attempted to gain the pilot's attention by firing flares. The pilots noted that in the darkness, they could see that the airplane's interior lights were on, but could not see the pilot or discern any movement in the cockpit. About 2231, the airplane began to descend and at 2234 the airplane was lost from radar. At approximately 2319 the airplane wreckage was discovered on a hill behind a residence. The entire wreckage was contained in the single area where it came to rest approximately 3 feet aft of the point of impact. No ground scarring with the exception of three indentations, 12 to 14 inches deep that corresponded to the positions of the propellers and nose of the airplane, were noted. All the major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. An examination of the fuel system was conducted. The right wing tank displayed a breach about 8 inches long on the bottom of the tank approximately at the mid-span position. An even stain with an approximate width of 1 inch was present at the edges of the breach, consistent with an impact puncture and no fuel was found in the tank. The left wing tank contained approximately 1 pint of fuel. Approximately 2 tablespoons of fuel were foun in the supply lines of both engines between the fuel transducers to the fuel servos. Both fuel servos were devoid of fuel. The injector inlet screens were clean and showed no evidence of discoloration or debris. All fuel nozzles were free of debris. A fuel sample from the fuel remaining in the left tank was examined. The sample was bright, clear and absent of debris. The sample was consistent in color and smell with 100 low lead aviation gasoline. The airplane was equipped from the factory with an onboard oxygen system. Examination of the combustion type heater revealed no evidence of leakage. The pilot was found strapped into the left front seat of the airplane wearing an oxygen mask. A pulse oximeter was discovered lying on the ground 6 feet outboard of the left wingtip. In addition to the installed oxygen system on the airplane, a portable oxygen system was found during the wreckageexamination. A nasal cannula was connected to the airplane's oxygen system and was found lying on the seat next to the pilot. The mask that the pilot was wearing was found connected to the portable bottle. The regulator valves of both systems were open about halfway and both were depleted of their contents.