20070202001079A

(-23) On February 2, 2007, about 1938 eastern standard time (EST), a Socata TBM-700, N944CA, declared a missed approach and subsequently crashed while conducting an ILS approach to runway 5 in New Bedford, MA (kewb). The pilot privacy data omitted was operating the aircraft under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The two instrument rated pilots privacy data omitted and one passenger privacy data omitted sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The pilot privacy data omitted filed three flight plans through the williamsport, pa flight service station (fss) at about 0926 EST. The flight plans were (1) lehigh valley international airport allentown, Pennsylvania (abe) to general edward lawrence logan international airport boston, Massachusetts (bos), (2) bos to laurence g hanscom field airport Bedford, Massachusetts (bed), (3) bed to abe. The pilot privacy data omitted contacted the williamsport, pa fss again at about 1709 EST to amend flight plan #2 to go from bos to ewb. The pilot privacy data omitted was not aware of the identifier for ewb and requested the airport identifier from the fss specialist. The pilot privacy data omitted did not request any weather or notice to airmen (NOTAM) briefings during the amendments to the flight plan. The flight departed boston logan airport (bos) boston, MA, about 1915, with a planned destination of New Bedford regional airport, (ewb), New Bedford, MA. Pk leasing, LLC owned the accident airplane since July 12, 2006. The aircraft was being piloted by privacy data omitted from the right seat and the owner of pk leasing, LLC privacy data omitted from the left seat. The pilot privacy data omitted held a flight instructor certificate with single engine, instrument ratings and a commercial certificate with ratings in multiengine land, single engine land and instrument ratings. Pilot flight logs were not available. The most recent flight time available for the pilot privacy data omitted indicates that when he renewed his medical certificate on January 8, 2007, he had 1700 flight hours logged. The owner privacy data omitted held a private certificate with single engine and instrument ratings. The most recent flight time available for privacy data omitted indicates that when he renewed his medical certificate on December 14, 2006, he had 300 flight hours logged. A review of the recorded transmissions between air traffic controllers and the pilots of N944CA revealed the following: N944CA departed bos about 1915 and was given instructions to climb and maintain altitude 4000 feet above mean sea level (MSL). Boston (bos) ATC instructions. 1920 - instructed the pilots to turn right to 180 heading. Bos ATC intructions. 1920 - 20 seconds later instructed the pilots to contact providence (pvd) approach on 120.6. Bos contacted pvd about 1925 to hand off aircraft. 1925 - aircraft N944CA calls pvd ATC to state they are on the frequency, at 4000 MSL and flying a heading of 220. Pvd ATC replies advising the aircraft ewb altimeter setting is 29.58, current ATIS in ewb is quebec and to expect the ILS runway 5 approach. 1927 - pvd ATC instructs the aircraft to descend and maintain 3000 MSL. 1932 - pvd ATC instructs the aircraft to descend and maintain 2000 MSL. 1933 - pvd ATC instructed the aircraft to turn left heading 140. 1934 - ATC instructed the aircraft to turn left to a heading of 080 four miles from nefor, maintain 2000 MSL until established on the localizer and cleared to the ILS runway 5 approach. The aircraft speed at the time was 190 knots. 1935 - pvd ATC instructed the aircraft to contact the New Bedford tower (ewb). 1935 - the aircraft advised ewb tower they were inbound for the ILS runway 5, the aircraft speed at the time was 200 knots. Ewb tower advised aircraft winds were 170/3 visibilities 1 mile. N944CA inquired has anyone else been getting in? Ewb tower advised everyone else had been getting in. The last two aircraft made it in 10 - 15 minutes ago said they broke out at 300 MSL. 1937 - the aircraft declared going missed. No further transmissions were heard from the aircraft again. The aircraft speed at the time was 160 knots and it had an altitude of 300 MSL. Subsequent radar returns at 1937:10.1 indicates an altitude of 600 MSL, speed 160 knots and a heading of 047-degrees. 1937:14.7 - indicates an altitude of 900 MSL, speed 153 knots and a heading of 036-degrees, 1937:19.4 - indicates an altitude of 1000 MSL, speed 145 knots and a heading of 028-degrees. Ewb tower dispatched emergency fire and rescue. The aircraft wreckage was located at 41.4.125N/70.58.572W approximately 1 mile west northwest of the airport. The aircraft impacted the terrain along a 260-degree heading. The angle from the clipped trees indicates a high angle, near vertical impact, approximately 75-degree nose down angle with the left wing down approximately 30-45 degrees. The debris from the wreckage was contained in a very small area, approximately a 65-foot diameter. Both wings and the horizontal stabilizer were separated from the aircraft upon impact. The nose and cockpit section forward of the main cabin door were separated from the aircraft upon impact. The landing gear was down and locked prior to impact. The landing gear selector knob was broken off with the switch in the down position. The left and nose landing gear were separated from the aircraft upon impact. Investigation determined the flaps were set to 20 degrees after the accident. Radar data shows during the approach the aircraft speed ranged from 160-140 knots prior to the accident. The Socata TBM-700 pilots operating handbook in section 2 page 2.2.1 indicates maximum flap extended speed (VFR) in the landing configuration is 122 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). All flight controls were inspected and evaluated for control continuity. There were no flight control malfunctions. A portable garmin GPS was located at the accident site. The NTSB has taken possession of the unit and is assessing it for potential flight information during the accident flight. An engine trend data (ETD) unit was retrieved from the crash site. The ETD unit has been sent to Socata for review of the data. A review of the aircraft logbooks shows the last annual inspection was completed on July 7, 2006; the aircraft total time was 478.8. The last 91.411 & 91.413 inspections were completed November 21, 2005. The last 91.207 (d) inspection was completed on July 7, 2006. Ewb weather and airport conditions at the time of the accident were as follows: 300 foot overcast, one mile visibility, winds 170/3, temperature two degrees celsius and dew point one. A Cessna 402 that arrived approximately 30 minutes before N944CA reported no icing conditions and reported breaking out of IMC conditions at approximately 300 MSL. The localizer, glideslope, 75 mhz markers and DME were all operational at the time of the accident. The 1,400-foot medium intensity approach lighting system with runway alignment indicator lights (malsr) had been shut down by the federal aviation administration (ff) since August 2006 because of safety concerns due to vegetation and tree growth obstructing the lighting system. The lights are a listed NOTAM item. An additional NOTAM is that autopilot coupled approaches below 470 feet MSL are not authorized. This NOTAM went into effect on October 27, 2004. The airport navigational instrument systems were removed from service on February 2, 2007, until all equipment could be verified functional. The localizer, glideslope, 75 mhz markers and DME were inspected by FAA airways facilities technicians and found to be serviceable with no maintenance defects. The localizer, glideslope, 75 mhz markers and DME were test flown by an FAA aircraft and no defects were noted during the inspection. The ewb navigational instruments were returned to service on February 3, 2007.