20221115020699A

ON NOVEMBER 15, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 09:05 LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A SWEARINGEN METRO SA227 AIRCRAFT, ON A PART 135 CARGO FLIGHT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN LANDED ON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN PEWAUKEE, WI. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAKEFRONT AIRPORT (NEW) NEW ORLEANS, LA AT APPROXIMATELY 0500 LOCAL TIME WITH THE PILOT IN COMMAND IN THE RIGHT SEAT AND THE PILOT UNDER INFLIGHT EVALUATION IN THE LEFT SEAT, AND ONE CREW MEMBER/DOG HANDLER ON BOARD. THE PILOTS STATED DURING THE FLIGHT THAT AFTER THE AUTOPILOT WAS ENGAGED THE PILOTS NOTED THE YAW DAMP WOULD HAVE A SLIGHT YAW TO THE RIGHT MOMENTARILY THEN RETURN TO NORMAL TRACK. THE PILOT STATED IT FELT LIKE A KICK TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOTS NOTED THIS WOULD OCCUR ABOUT EVERY 30 MINUTES DURING THE FLIGHT. THE PILOTS STATED DURING THE APPROACH TO UES FOR RUNWAY 10 THE AUTOPILOT WAS ENGAGED, THE ANTI-ICING WAS TURNED ON AND NOTED THE BOOTS WERE INFLATING. THE PILOTS STATED THEY DID NOT NOTE ANY ICE ACCUMULATION. THE PILOT STATED THEY WERE ON GLIDESLOPE AND LOCALIZER APPROACH AND SHORTLY AFTER SELECTING FLAPS TO ½ AND GEAR DOWN THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR COMMAND BAR STARTED TO CLIMB AND BANK TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOTS STATED THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRACK ON THE LOCALIZER AND GLIDESLOPE. SHORTLY AFTER, AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM RUNWAY 10, THE PILOTS STATED THEY DISENGAGE THE AUTOPILOT AND THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY AND VIOLENTLY ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDED.

AT APPROXIMATELY 09:05 ABOUT 4.5 MILES AWAY IN LINE WITH RUNWAY 10 AT UES THE AIRCRAFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN PEWAUKEE WI. THE COURSE HAS 3 GROUND SCARS CONSISTENT WITH 3 LANDING GEAR MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TURF. FOLLOWED BY 3 DEEPER GROUND SCARS CONSISTENT WITH THE FUSELAGE AND ENGINES IMPACTING THE TURF. SEVERAL TREES HAVE SCARS CONSISTENT WITH THE WINGS IMPACTING THE TREES AND WING DEBRIS NEARBY. THE GROUND ON THE LEFT HAS A DEEP SCAR WITH THE IMPRINT OF THE BACKSIDE OF THE PROP SHAFT. THE LEFT PROP WAS FOUND NEARBY. THE TREES ON THE RIGHT HAVE SCARS CONSISTENT WITH THE RIGHT WING IMPACT AND RIGHT WING PIECE FOUND NEARBY. THE GROUND SCARS CONTINUED ON THE TURF TO APPROXIMATELY 400 TO 700 YARDS FURTHER DOWN TO THE LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT. SEVERAL TREES WERE IMPACTED ALONG THE WAY. THE WINGS OUTBOARD OF THE NACELLE’S DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT, THE LEFT PROP AND THE 3 LANDING GEAR. THE FUSELAGE WAS INTACT AND HAS MANY DENTS AND TEARS.

THE LEFT PROP HAS DEEP SCARS ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE BLADES AND THE 4 BLADES ARE CURLED IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION. THE RIGHT PROP WAS INTACT WITH MINIMAL SCARING ON THE LEADING EDGE. THE TWO LOWER BLADES WERE BENT UP ON EACH SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE OTHER TWO BLADES DID NOT SHOW AND IMPACT SCARING OR BENT IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION.

THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FOUND IN THE POSITION OF FULL LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT AILERON, GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION.

THE WEATHER WAS IFR TO 500FT AGL AND SNOWING WITH ICING CONDITIONS. ICE WAS NOT NOTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION ON ANY OF THE SURFACES.

THE BOTH PILOT AND THE THIRD CREW MEMBER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.

THE ADS-B DATA SHOWS IN THE LAST 5NM PRIOR TO THE ABRUPT CHANGE IN ALTITUDE TOWARD THE GROUND SURFACE, THE AIRCRAFT SLOWING DOWN TO BELOW MANEUVERING SPEED PRIOR TO THE CHANGE IN ALTITUDE. FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE ADS-B DATA IS ONGOING. ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINES, PROPELLERS AND AUTOPILOT, AND AIRCRAFT IS ONGOING.

A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS NOTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE BUT NO FUEL WAS FOUND ON BOARD. THE FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED.