ATL07FA031

The pilot was cleared for a Localizer Runway 31 approach at Columbia Owens Downtown Airport, Columbia, South Carolina. Review of radar data for N55YS, revealed the airplane crossed HIDEE intersection at 1,300 feet (all altitudes msl), 500 feet below the published minimum crossing altitude. The Minimum Safe Altitude Warning alert activated and was presented on the north radar controller's display as a recurring "LA" to indicate low altitude. The north radar controller did not issue a safety alert to the pilot. The pilot informed the north radar controller that he was executing a missed approach and initiated a right turn instead of executing the published missed approach procedure. The minimum descent altitude for the approach is 660 feet and the airplane-recorded altitude was 400 feet. The radar north controller informed the pilot the airplane was radar contact, to climb and maintain two thousand one hundred and stated, "All right sir, hope you're on a heading of three one zero still on the localizer there, don't get too far to the north, I don't know what's out there at that altitude." The pilot acknowledged the transmission, and was provided the weather at Columbia Metropolitan Airport and vectors for the ILS runway 11at that airport. The pilot was cleared for the ILS runway 11, four miles from the outer marker and instructed to maintain 2,100 feet until established. The decision height for the approach is 436 feet. Review of radar data revealed the airplane crossed the outer marker at 1,700 feet. A low altitude alert was observed on the radar playback from this point for the remainder of the approach. The north radar controller did not issue any safety alerts. The final low altitude alert was at 300 feet, 1 mile from the end of the runway. The pilot was instructed to contact the tower and acknowledged the transmission. After communications were transferred to the local controller in the control tower, the local controller was unable to establish radio contact with N55YS. The local controller made numerous transmissions including a low altitude alert, a clearance to land, weather information, runway visual range, and position correlation information; however, the local controller did not receive a response from the pilot of N55YS. Non-ATC recordings revealed the pilot of N55YS responded to the local controller transmissions; however, the radio calls from N55YS while on the local control frequency were not heard by the controller or recorded by the ATC facility. There was no further contact with the pilot and the radar track went into the coast mode. The airplane was located the following morning about 1 mile west of the runway in a wooded area. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no evidence of a pre-crash mechanical failure or malfunction. Examination of the flight instruments revealed no anomalies. There was no entry in the logbook indicating a current altimeter test.

This report was modified on January 25, 2008.

History of flight

On January 4, 2007, at 2337 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182P, N55YS, registered to Four Seasons LLC, operated by M. B. Kahn Construction Company Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 91 business flight, collided with trees and the ground, while maneuvering during an instrument approach, in the vicinity of Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Columbia, South Carolina. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The airplane was sustained substantial damage and the airline transport rated pilot, and two passengers were sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Newport News Williamsburg International Airport, Newport News, Virginia, on January 4, 2007, at 2028.

Review of transcripts between Columbia Approach Control and the pilot revealed the pilot was cleared for a Localizer Runway 31 approach at Columbia Owens Downtown Airport, Columbia, South Carolina, at 2316. Review of radar data for N55YS, revealed that at 2319 the airplane crossed HIDEE intersection at 1,300 feet (all altitudes msl), 500 feet below the published minimum crossing altitude. At 2320, the pilot informed the north radar controller that he was executing a missed approach and initiated a right turn instead of executing the published missed approach procedure. The north radar controller replied, "N5YS, roger, climb and maintain two thousand one hundred, you're radar contact. " The pilot replied, "two point one and we may as well come over and spend the night with you." The Minimum Safe Altitude Warning alert activated at 2319, and was presented on the north radar controller's display as a recurring "LA" to indicate low altitude. The north radar controller did not issue a safety alert to the pilot. The north radar controller further stated at 2320, "All right sir, hope you're on a heading of three one zero still on the localizer there, don't get too far to the north, I don't know what's out there at that altitude." The pilot replied, "Yankee Sierra." At 2322, the north radar controller instructed the pilot to ident, and the pilot complied with the request. The north radar controller informed the pilot he was radar contact, and was provided radar vectors to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

At 2323, the north radar controller made a blanket radio broadcast saying, "Attention all aircraft, tower visibility now at the Metro airport is down to a half mile, we should be getting some new weather here shortly." The north radar controller stated at 2325, "Attention all aircraft atis information now Oscar, visibility is one half and mist, ceiling two hundred overcast, temperature one seven, dew point one seven, wind one three zero at five, altimeter three zero one zero. At 2332, the north radar controller said, "Five Yankee Sierra, you're four miles from MURRY, turn left heading one four zero, maintain two thousand one hundred until established on the localizer, cleared ILS runway one one approach, maintain maximum forward airspeed to the outer marker." The pilot responded, "Okay, one forty, ah two point one till established, cleared ILS one one and we'll hustle it along, Yankee Sierra."

Thirty seconds later, the north radar controller stated, "November five yankee sierra, turn right heading one five zero to join the localizer." The pilot responded, "one fifty to join, Yankee Sierra." Review of radar data at 2334:47 revealed the airplane was over MURRAY at 1,700 feet, heading 101 degrees, at 104 knots indicated ground speed. A low altitude alert was observed on the radar playback from this point on the approach throughout the remainder of the flight. No safety alert was issued to the pilot by the north radar controller. At 2334:54, the controller stated, "Five Yankee Sierra, tower one one ninner point five." The pilot replied, "over to the tower, Yankee Sierra." After communications were transferred to the local controller in the control tower, the local controller was unable to establish radio contact with N55YS. The local controller made numerous transmissions including a low altitude alert, a clearance to land, weather information, runway visual range, and position correlation information; however, the local controller did not receive a response from the pilot of N55YS. Non-ATC recordings revealed the pilot of N55YS responded to the local controller transmissions; however, the radio calls from N55YS while on the local control frequency were not heard by the controller or recorded by the ATC facility.

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport, ATC Control Tower personnel notified the fire department that radar contact had been lost with the Cessna 182 about 1 mile west of Runway 11. Three fire department units were dispatched in a dense fog to search for the missing airplane, which was unsuccessful. A command post/staging area was set up, search grids were established for responding law enforcement personnel, and a foot search was initiated. A runway and ramp check was initiated which was unsuccessful. A State Law Enforcement Detachment helicopter arrived on scene on January 5, 2007, and the helicopter pilot located the wreckage at about 0630.

Personnel information

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued an airline transport pilot certificate on March 31, 2004, with ratings for airplane multiengine land/airline transport pilot, airplane single engine land/commercial pilot, and instrument airplane. In addition, the pilot was issued a flight instructor certificate on December 2, 2004, with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a ground instructor certificate issued on February 27, 1996. The pilot held a second class medical issued on May 2, 2006, with the restriction "must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." The pilot indicated on his application for the second-class medical certificate that he had accumulated 7,000 total flight hours. The pilot's logbook was not located at the crash site. The pilot indicated on an AIG Aviation Pilot Qualification Form completed on January 3, 2007, that he had 7,100 total hours of pilot-in-command time in all aircraft, and 1,000 hours in the Cessna 172. The pilot did not indicate that he had any flight time in the Cessna 182. Review of the pilot's logbook obtained from his wife revealed the pilot had 7,208.9 hours in all aircraft. The pilot had logged 2,296.4 hours in single engine land airplanes of which 79.9 hours were in the Cessna 182. The pilot's first flight in a Cessna 182 was on July 16, 1990. The pilot's last flight in a Cessna 182 before the accident was on September 24, 1999. The pilot had recorded 4,776.7 hours in multiengine airplanes. The pilot had recorded 514.4 hours of instrument flight, and his last instrument flight was on November 21, 2006, in a Cessna 421. The pilot's last recorded instrument flight in a Cessna 182 was on May 3, 1994. The last instrument proficiency check and flight review was conducted on August 23, 2006.

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot rated passenger, who was seated in the right front seat of the airplane, was issued a commercial pilot certificate on December 12, 2005, with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. In addition, the pilot rated passenger was issued a flight instructor certificate on July 16, 2006, with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot rated passenger held a second-class medical certificate issued on September 25, 2006, with the restriction "must wear corrective lenses for distant vision, and must possess glasses for near vision." The pilot rated passenger indicated on his application for the second-class medical certificate that he had accumulated 3,