ATL98FA023

Following a missed approach at the destination, the pilot requested weather information for two nearby airports. One airport was 53 miles northeast with a cloud ceiling of 900 feet, and visibility 6 miles. The pilot opted for the accident airport, 21 miles southwest, with an indefinite ceiling of zero, & visibility 1/4 mile. After completing the second missed approach, the flight proceeded to the accident airport. Radar vectors were provided to the ILS runway 36L. On the final approach, the flight veered to the right of the localizer and descended abruptly. Last recorded altitude for the flight was below the decision height. Investigation revealed no anomalies with the airport navigational aids for the approach, and the airplane's navigation receivers were found to be operational. Postmortem examinations of the pilot did not reveal any pre-existing diseases, and toxicological examinations were negative for alcohol & other drugs.

History of flight

On December 10, 1997, about 2321 eastern standard time, a Beech A100, N30SA, collided with trees and the ground during an instrument landing system [ILS] approach to runway 36L at the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT). The airplane was operated by Spitfire Sales and Leasing, Inc. under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and instrument flight rules [IFR]. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan was filed for the business flight. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured, the passenger was seriously injured, and the airplane was destroyed. Origination of the flight was Lewisburg, West Virginia, about 2200, on the same day, with a destination of Concord, North Carolina.

At 2109, a person who identified himself as thirty sierra alpha (N30SA) contacted the Elkins, West Virginia Automated Flight Service Station (Elkins AFSS) preflight desk by telephone, and requested the Charlotte, North Carolina, weather and to file an IFR flight plan to Concord. The caller indicated that a takeoff from Lewisburg was planned for 2315, with an estimated time to Concord of 35 minutes. The caller stated the airplane had 2.5 hours of fuel.

At 2157, N30SA was cleared by air traffic control for the flight from Lewisburg to Concord.

The flight proceeded to Concord where two missed approaches were flown. After the first missed approach the pilot requested and was provided the ceiling and visibility at Charlotte, and Greensboro, North Carolina, located 21 Nmi southwest and 53 Nmi northeast of Concord, respectively. The controller reported the Charlotte weather to N30SA as visibility 1/4 mile in fog, indefinite ceiling zero, temperature and dew point eight degrees C., runway 36L touch down runway visual range (RVR) of 2,000 feet, with runway 36R RVR more than 6,000 feet. The controller requested the ceiling and visibility from Greensboro, and was told it was 900 overcast and six miles. The controller then reported the Greensboro ceiling and visibility to N30SA as 500 and six. Following the second missed approach at Concord, N30SA requested clearance to Greensboro. After receiving the clearance to Greensboro, N30SA requested the current weather at Charlotte and was told the RVR for runway 36R was 2,800 feet, and visibility 1/8 mile in fog. According to the transcript of communications, at 2300, N30SA stated to the controller; "ah Charlotte would be easier for us Charlotte would be easier for us if ah you got some guys getting in there." The controller responded to the effect that people were landing at Charlotte. The pilot then requested to proceed to Charlotte.

The flight was vectored for an approach to runway 36L, at CLT. According to the communications transcript, N30SA was to follow a Boeing 737 to runway 36L, with a Learjet between them landing on runway 36R. When the flight contacted the Charlotte Tower, the controller informed the pilot that he was cleared to land on runway 36L, following a 737 at four miles, the wind was calm, and the touchdown runway visual range was 1,800 feet.

The president of the company operating N30SA, also an airline transport pilot with multi engine rating, was in the cabin of the airplane and provided the following information. Following the first missed approach at Concord, he leaned into the cockpit and offered the pilot assistance. He assisted by handling the radio transmissions, and reviewed the essential elements of the approach with the pilot. He returned to his seat in the cabin. As the airplane neared decision height on the second approach, he looked into the cockpit and saw no ground references. During the missed approach climb he noted that the fog was thick and patchy. The pilot indicated the flight would proceed to Charlotte. At some point, he reviewed the runway 36L approach information. During the completion of the approach checklist to Charlotte, he noted that he fuel quantity indicated 1,400 pounds. Charlotte Tower cleared the flight to land behind a 727 or 737, and cautioned them of wake turbulence. He kneeled on the floor and noted they were trailing a large airplane. The situation looked good and he sat back down in the cabin, closed his brief case, then strapped into the seat on the right side of the airplane, where he was looking into the cockpit. He felt the airplane make a right turn, then looked into the cockpit and saw a full scale deflection of the course deviation indicator and the altimeter indicating 800 or 900 feet. He yelled go-around, didn't recall if power was added, and heard something hit the left side of the airplane. Subsequently, he awakened laying in the woods, and looked at the wreckage.

Radar data indicated that an ILS approach to runway 36L was executed. At 2116:49, according to the communications transcript, N30SA was cleared for the approach, to which the flight responded "thank you." At 2321:12, the controller requested N30SA to verify position. The controller received a response from an unknown source, "stating three six left." There was no further radio contact with the airplane. Radar data indicated that the last radar contact with N30SA was at 2320:47, at 800 feet mean sea level, about 1.5 miles south of the airport. At 2328:04, the east departure controller stated to the local controller " ah the ah that kingair right at the end went toward the right you know he kind dove towards three six right you know." Weather conditions at the time included fog, with runway 36L runway visual range of 1800 feet. The airplane collided with trees, along a magnetic heading of about 013 degrees, and came to rest between the parallel runways, about 0.2 miles from the end of runway 36R.

Personnel information

The pilot held airline transport pilot certificate number 1715590, with airplane multiengine land rating. He had type ratings in the Learjet, Canadair Challenger, Israel Jet, Cessna Citation, Falcon 20, and the DeHavilland DH-125. He held commercial privileges in single engine land airplane and helicopter. He was also a certificated flight instructor, with airplane single engine, multi engine, and instrument ratings. His last medical was a first class, issued on June 22, 1997, with the limitation that the holder must possess lenses for near vision while exercising the privileges of this airman certificate.

Spitfire Aviation, Inc hired the pilot on November 3, 1997. Pilot records, provided by the operator, indicated that the pilot completed his initial training on November 18, 1997. His flight training with Spitfire Aviation, Inc was accomplished in the Mitsubishi MU-300 and the Beech 200. A flight check was completed as second in command in the MU-300, under Title 14 CFR Part 135.293, 135.297, and 135.299 on November 7, 1997.

According to the records provided by the operator, the pilot listed his flight hours as of June 6, 1997, as follows: Total time 13,949 Total jet hours 5,245 Total helicopter 375 Previous 12 months 180 Learjet Previous 90 days 110 Learjet Total instrument hours 2798 Total night hours 3302

The operator's records indicated that as of October 31, 1997 the pilot had 14,320 flight hours, with 350 hours in turboprop aircraft. Between November 11, 1998 and December 9, 1998, the operator reported, the pilot had 27.4 total hours with 15.1 hours in the Beech 200 and 12.3 hours in the Beech 100. During the same period the pilot had 3.3 flight hours in instrument conditions, and 4.6 hours at night. Two point six of the night hours were under instrument conditions. The operator also noted that on December 9, 1997, the pilot had completed an ILS approach in deteriorating weather conditions as part of his training.

Additional pilot information is contained in this report on page 3, under the heading First Pilot Information.

Aircraft information

The airplane, N30SA, was a Beech A100, serial number B246. It was certificated in