ATL98FA008

The flight had departed runway 32, under IFR, from a local reliever airport 35 miles south of the destination, and was cleared to intercept the ILS approach for runway 36R. Instrument meteorological conditions existed with a low scattered cloud layer beneath the 900 foot broken clouds. Visibility was 8 miles. The flight never stabilized on the inbound course and glide slope. After acquiring the runway visually, about 3 miles from the airport, the airplane dove for the runway, subsequently touching down with the landing gear retracted. The left propeller incurred greater damage than the right propeller. The airplane began to go around, pitched up, then entered a steep left, descending turn that continued until impact with the ground.

History of flight

On October 27, 1997, about 1510 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N69293, collided with the ground during a go-around at the Tampa International Airport, Tampa, Florida. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and instrument flight rules. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. An instrument flight plan had been filed for the personal flight. The commercial pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, one passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Sarasota, Florida, about 1451, on the same day.

At 2055 on October 26, 1997, the pilot contacted the St. Petersburg Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and requested an outlook weather briefing for the next day. The pilot stated he would depart Sarasota about 1000, pick up passengers at Tampa International Airport, proceed to Bowling Green, Kentucky, then continue to Danville, Illinois. The pilot contacted the AFSS again at 0614 on October 27 and requested a standard weather briefing for the same flight route. The pilot was informed of an approaching frontal passage for the Tampa, Florida area.

According to the passenger who was to be picked up at Tampa, about 0630 he and the pilot discussed the weather. The pilot elected to delay until about noon before departing Sarasota, because of the weather, and the lack of a necessity to make a hurried departure.

At 1445, N69293 contacted Sarasota Clearance Delivery and requested an instrument flight rules clearance to Tampa International Airport. According to the Air Traffic Control Chronological Summary of Flight, the pilot initially read back the clearance incorrectly. The controller reissued the clearance and the pilot read it back correctly.

The flight departed runway 32 at Sarasota, about 32 miles south of the Tampa Airport, and was cleared to intercept the localizer course for runway 36R at the Tampa Airport. During the approach, the controller at Tampa noted that the flight was aligned with the runway 36L localizer course, and issued vectors to the localizer course for 36R. The flight overshot the localizer course for 36R, and descended, prior to aligning with the localizer course. Subsequently, the controller directed the flight to return to the minimum descent altitude and vectored the flight onto the 36R approach course. The controller also queried the pilot if he had the correct localizer frequency tuned, then provided the frequency to the pilot. The flight was descended to 1,600 feet, issued a heading to return to the 36R localizer course and advised to report the airport in sight. About three miles from the runway, the pilot was asked if the airport was in sight, to which the pilot replied negatively. The pilot was asked if he was on the localizer and the pilot responded affirmatively. A radio frequency change to the tower frequency was issued. The pilot did not contact the tower until after the local controller had made two transmissions to the flight. Ground witnesses observed the airplane in a rapid descent toward the runway. The local controller announced to the flight that the landing gear did not appear to be extended and directed a go-around. The local controller informed the flight that the airplane appeared to have contacted the runway and asked if all was well. The pilot replied that the airplane appeared to be OK. Subsequently, the airplane was observed to roll left and descend in a broad arc to impact with the ground.

Personnel information

The pilot received a commercial certificate with airplane single engine land rating on September 10, 1971. An instrument airplane rating was obtained on March 5, 1972, and a multi engine rating was obtained on July 26, 1972. A pilot log was not located, however, the pilot reported having 3,550 hours on his last request for a medical certificate, dated August 7, 1996, with 24 hours within the preceding six months. Family members reported he had flown at least 15 hours within the 90 days preceding the accident. The pilot had been flying N69293 since he purchased it in 1979. According to personnel at Sim Com International, Inc., the pilot was scheduled for the initial simulator training course in the Cessna 402 in February 1998.

The pilot held a current third class medical certificate issued on August 8, 1996. The pilot was initially denied the medical certificate because he was prescribed medication for blood pressure control. On April 21, 1997, his doctor submitted a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stating the pilot was in excellent condition. On June 27, 1997, the FAA validated his medical certificate. Additional information regarding the pilot is contained on page three of the Factual Report.

Aircraft information

N69293, a Cessna 402B was a seven seat, twin engine cabin class airplane. It was registered to Covington Foods, Incorporated, which was owned by the pilot. According to the airplane log, an annual inspection was completed on October 16, 1997. The last altimeter, static system, and transponder inspections recorded in the airplane log were dated November 11, 1992. The airplane log indicated that the airplane had 3616.6 hours total time in service, as of October 16, 1997, at a Hobbs meter reading of 2943.8 hours. According to the log, the airplane had 99.1 hours since the previous annual inspection. By reference to the hour meter at the accident site (2949.4 hours) the airplane had operated six hours since the last annual inspection. According to the engine logs, on October 16, 1997, both engines had 523.4 hours since remanufacture.

According to fuel records obtained from Jones Aviation in Sarasota, Florida, the airplane was fueled on October 19, 1997, with 54.2 gallons of 100LL gasoline. The records also indicated that the pilot paid for eight days of transient overnight parking. According to the fixed base operator, the 54.2 gallons filled the airplane to capacity, and the airplane had not flown since its refueling on the 19th.

The last weight and balance revision for the airplane was done on May 23, 1996, according to the airplane log. A copy of the last revision is attached.

Using the latest weight and balance revision, the Owner's Manual for the airplane, weights provided by the medical examiner's office, and the standard FAA passenger weight, the weight and balance of the airplane, at the time of the accident was calculated as follows:

Weight Arm Moment Empty weight 4509.40 161.48 728180.11 Oil 49.00 5600 Seat 1 and 2 396.00 5400 Seat 3 188.00 3400 Seat 6 170.00 3700 Main tank fuel 600.00 91200 Aux tanks fuel 378.00 60200 Weighed luggage Nose 100.00 7100 Bay A 309.00 80600

Total 6699.40 1099080.11

Fuel burned -120.00 -26000.00

Total 6579.40 163.11 1073180.11

Two golf bags, clubs, laptop computer and two personal bags found along the debris trail were calculated in the weight and balance as having been in the nose baggage area, while the remaining baggage found in the rear of the airplane was calculated as having been in Bay A. According to the Type Certificate Data Sheet, the maximum takeoff weight for the airplane is 6,300 pounds, and the maximum landing weight is 6,200 pounds. The center of gravity limits at 6,300 pounds is 150.8 to 159.7 inches aft of datum. Additional airplane information is contained in this report on page 2, under the section titled Aircraft Information.

Meteorological information

The meteorological report for Tampa International Airport on October 27, 1997, at 1520 was wind 360 degrees at three knots; visibility eight statute miles in light rain; sky 500 feet scattered, 900 feet broken, 3,000 feet overcast; temperature/dew point 22/21 degrees centigrade; and altime