20191209021309A

On December 9, 2019, at approximately 2016CST, a Cessna caravan C208, N4602B, impacted terrain 12 minutes after departing from Victoria regional airport (kvct) during the initial climb. The aircraft was enroute to houston intercontinental airport (kiah) and impacted approximately 5.3 nautical miles northeast of kvct. The aircraft, registered to martinaire aviation LLC, was being operated under 14 CFR part 135 as a cargo flight with the call sign MRA679. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and the pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The weather at the time of the accident was VFR with haze and multiple cloud layers, however, the cloud layer dropped to MVFR conditions approximately 1 hour after the accident. Departure and enroute ATC services were handled by the houston air route traffic control center (zhu).

At approximately 1945CST, MRA679 departed the ramp and requested an IFR clearance. MRA679 was cleared to kiah via gmann.DUUUK3 arrival with a climb and maintain altitude of 6,000 feet. Shortly after, MRA679 called for a taxi clearance and was given the instruction to taxi to runway 13L and bravo intersection. A few minutes later, MRA679 stated he was holding short of runway 31L. The controller told the pilot he had taxied to the wrong runway and to taxi back to the correct runway. At 2004CST, MRA679 arrived at the correct location and was given the clearance to take off.

Once in communication with zhu, MRA679 made approximately 15 to 23 heading changes and course reversals without being able to maintain a stable altitude or airspeed (based on groundspeed ADS-B recordings). During those heading changes, zhu asked MRA679 to say heading or to correct heading. Most of the time MRA679 responded almost immediately, however, some of the radio transmissions were unintelligible. MRA679 never indicated any trouble over the radio until 2011CST after zhu stated that heading wasn't being maintained. At that point, MRA679 reported having instrument problems. The controller asked MRA679 if he wanted to return to kvct, to which MRA679 stated he would like to continue to kiah. At 2012CST, zhu advised MRA679 of being 7 miles northeast at 3,700 feet. MRA679 responded that he wanted to come back to kvct. MRA679 was instructed to maintain 3,000 feet, was given the general location of the airport and to report the field in sight. At 2013CST, zhu instructed MRA679 to maintain 4,000 feet, which MRA679'S response was to request 3,000 feet instead. At 2014CST, MRA679 was asked if the airport was in sight, to which MRA679 reported as currently looking. Zhu responded by clearing MRA679 for the visual approach 13L. Shortly after that transmission, boutique flight 465, a flight departing from kvct, stated over the radio that unless MRA679 was familiar with the area that the haze may not allow the pilot to see the airport. At 2015CST, zhu stated they would clear MRA679 for the RNAV approach instead. MRA679 was asked if he was RNAV capable, to which MRA679 initially stated negative. When asked again, MRA679 responded again, but the transmission was unintelligible. The last transmission occurred at 2015:56CST. While zhu was coordinating with kvct to try to bring MRA679 back, the controller at kvct saw police cars with emergency lights flashing along the highway. The call to the sheriff's office confirmed that an accident had occurred.

The inspector from this office arrived on scene on December 10, 2019 at 1245CST. MRA679 was found next to and under a large tree, having partially impacted the tree's main branches before impacting the ground in a nearly vertical orientation on a southwesterly heading. The majority of the wreckage was confined the to location in the vicinity of the tree with several small pieces found within approximately 225 feet from the main wreckage.

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