20120127001419A

A CESSNA 340 AIRCRAFT FLYING IFR EN ROUTE TO THE OCALA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FROM THE MIDDLE GEORGIA REGIONAL AIRPORT IN MACON, GEORGIA ON A CONTROLLED FLIGHT CRASHED LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHERE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE PLANE. THE CRASH HAPPENED JUST BEFORE 12:30 P.M. IT WAS NOTED FROM RADAR THAT THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AT A RATE OF 600 FEET PER MINUTE FROM 1000 FEET, WINDS WERE 260 @ 9 GUSTING 15 FLYING A SOUTH DOWNWIND APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36, WITH A PATTERN TO THE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED LEFT TO BASE AND WAS TRANSITIONING TO THE LEFT TURN FOR FINAL APPROACH COMING IN FROM THE SOUTH GEAR WAS IDENTIFIED DOWN BUT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOTED IN A SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL LOCATION AND ATTITUDE FOR APPROACH. WHEN SPEAKING WITH THE TOWER, AGAIN THE FLIGHT CONSIDERED CONTROLLED STATED THAT NO DISTRESS CALL WAS EVER MADE AND NO INDICATIONS OF AN EMERGENCY WERE PRESENT. THE PILOT DECEASED, NEEDED TO BE EXTRICATED FROM THE PLANE; HIS PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHO WAS SEATED IN THE CABIN SURVIVED AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. WITNESS'S STATED THEY HEARD THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND THEN SAW AN EXPLOSION. INITIAL ASSESSMENTS OBSERVED AS SUCH, THE STRIKES TO THE GROUND SHOW A PATTERN OF WHAT WOULD EXHIBIT HIS LEFT WING/TIP TANK LOW DURING TURN, FOLLOWED BY PROPELLER STRIKES, NOSE STRIKE THEN THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETING A FLAT SPIN PLACING IT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, THE DEBRIS FIELD SHOWS IT WAS CONTAINED; THE AIRCRAFT UPRIGHT POINTING TOWARD AN EASTERLY DIRECTION AFTER IMPACT. THE LEFT WING BENT UP AND PARTIALLY SEPARATED. THE FLAPS WERE ACTUATED TO BE IN APPROACH POSITION AT 15 DEGREES. IT APPEARS THE NOSE AREA IMPACTED THE GROUND GIVING LIFT AND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN AND AT THIS TIME CANNOT RULE OUT A POSSIBLE FIRE WITHIN THE JANITROL HEATER AND ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS INTACT THE OXYGEN CYLINDER INSTALLED. THE PROPELLERS BLADES WERE SEVERELY CURLED SHOWING ROTATION WITH MULTIPLE GROUND STRIKES APPARENT AND DEPICT THE ENGINES WERE RUNNING ON IMPACT. THE TAIL SECTION BROKE OFF JUST AFT OF THE CABIN, AS MOST DAMAGE SIGNIFICANT TO THE LEFT GIVEN THE APPROACH. THE FIRE APPEARED CONTAINED WITHIN THE NOSE COMPARTMENT/ HULL AREA WITH INDICATIONS OF SMALLER FIRE DAMAGE TO UNDERLYING AREAS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SEQUENTIALLY SHOWS THE THROTTLES WERE FULL FORWARD AND THE GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE UP POSITION IN WHICH THE PILOT MAY HAVE BEEN INITIATING A GO AROUND, SPEAKING WITH THE DESCENDANTS WIFE LATER, SHE STATED HE MADE MENTION THAT THEY WERE TOO LOW AND SHE REMEMBERS HEARING WARNING HORNS. WHEN REITERATING THE QUESTION, IT WAS NOTED SHE HEARD TWO DIFFERENT ALARMS, IN WHICH GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES MAY HAVE BEEN GEAR WARNING & STALL WARNING. AS NOTED PREVIOUSLY HIS PRESENT POSITION, UNUSUAL LOCATION AND ATTITUDE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION AT AN ALTERNATE SITE, IT WAS NOTED THE GEAR ITSELF WAS IN TRANSITION, THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION BUT, THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR IN THE AUXILIARY POSITION NOT CONSISTENT WITH LANDING POSITIONS.THE ENGINE PRELIMINARY INSPECTIONS AND ASSOCIATED ACCESSORIES APPEAR TO BE FUNCTIONING AND AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH AN ENGINE MONITORING SYSTEM WILL BE EVALUATED FOR POSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEMS UNDETECTED IN FLIGHT. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT LOG BOOK WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE AND IS STILL UNDER REVIEW. AT THIS TIME PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT WAS PERFORMING AS REQUIRED WITHOUT DISTRESS AND INFORMATION OBTAINED TO DATE IS THE AIRCRAFT ANGLE WHILE ON APPROACH MAY HAVE BEEN TOO LOW TO RECOVER OR INITIATING A GO AROUND FOR LANDING.