CHI98FA349

At 8,100 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported smoke coming from the aircraft at 0739:32 central daylight time. At 0743:14, the aircraft altitude was 3,000 feet msl. The last received transmission by the pilot was at 0743:01. The Beech 58 Pilot's operating manual, states, under ELECTRICAL SMOKE OR FIRE, that the Battery and Alternator Switches are to be selected in the OFF position. A resistor, similar in size, shape and color to two of the resistors in the door seal inflation system was found attached to the right cabin side wall. The area surrounding the resistor revealed that a black material attached to the interior side wall was absent. There was bubbling of the black material and outside paint. Black material similar to the material on the side wall was also present on the bottom of the resistor. Installation instructions referencing the resistor, state, 'mount to metal structure for heat sink'. An emergency descent from an altitude of 8,000 feet msl was performed in a flight training simulator and a descent rate of approximately 6,200 feet per minute was obtained. A simulated off airport landing, in a simulator, was completed in approximately 02:15 minutes. Airworthiness Directive 98-21-21 has been issued for the deactivating or the removing of all provisions of the inflatable door seal installation.

History of flight

On September 16, 1998, at 0745 central daylight time (cdt), a Beech 58, N4574Q, operated by the State of Wisconsin's Department of Administration (DOA), impacted terrain while diverting to Volk Field (VOK), Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, after the airline transport rated pilot had declared an emergency and reported smoke in the aircraft. The aircraft was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was operating on an instrument flight rule (IFR) flight plan. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), Madison, Wisconsin, at 0653, and was en route to the Burnett County Airport (RZN), Siren, Wisconsin.

At 0653, the pilot called MSN Clearance Delivery and was issued an IFR clearance to Siren.

At 0711, the Local Controller cleared N4574Q for takeoff and told the pilot to contact departure; the pilot contacted Madison Departure Control and was climbed to 6,000 feet without incident or comment from the pilot.

At 0737, the pilot checked in again with Minneapolis Center, level at 8,000 feet. The specialist acknowledged and issued the Eau Claire altimeter setting. The specialist instructed the pilot to contact him on frequency 125.3. The pilot of N4574Q advised the Minneapolis Center specialist that this was the frequency he was on.

At 0739:32, the pilot transmitted, "minneapolis seven four quebec we're gonna return we're gonna go into ah volk we got some smoke comin outa this thing"

At 0739:33, radar data indicated the aircraft's position to be at latitude 44 10'03"N longitude 090 29'25" W or approximately, 11.5 nautical miles (nmi) on a magnetic bearing of 360 degrees from Bloyer Field (Y72) near Tomah, Wisconsin, 16.5 nmi on a magnetic bearing of 041 degrees from Sparta/Fort McCoy (CMY) near Sparta, Wisconsin, 16.8 nmi on a magnetic bearing of 326 degrees from VOK. At 0739:40, Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZMP5R) transmitted, " 'kay ah baron seven four quebec youre cleared to volk field ah left or right turn your discretion ah im showin volk six oclock and ah fifteen miles right now"

At 0739:53, the pilot transmitted, "four quebec okay and ah i guess you could declare it as an emergency we're not gonna fool around we got some sm (clipped)"

At 0739:59, ZMP5R transmitted, "kay seven four quebec descend at pilots discretion then and maintain ah six thousand and ah is it comin out of an engine"

At 0740:05, the pilot transmitted, "no its comin out of a heater it seems"

At 0740:29, ZMP5R transmitted, "kay seven four quebec ah descend at pilots discretion maintain four thousand left or right or left turn your discretion reverse course direct volk when youre able"

At 0740:44, the pilot transmitted, "and four quebec we're gonna go ahead and head for volk ah we should be pretty much headed right at it now i think"

At 0740:50, ZMP5R transmitted, "seven four quebec rodger contact me on one two eight point six for better frequency coverage one two eight point six again i know youre busy sorry about that"

At 0740:56, the pilot transmitted, "twenty eight six"

At 0740:57, ZMP5R transmitted, "(clipped) k you"

At 0741:50, ZMP5R transmitted, "baron seven four quebec report volk field in sight please when youre able"

At 0741:53, the pilot transmitted, "four quebec"

At 0742"13, ZMP5R transmitted, "baron seven four quebec report volk field in sight please"

At 0742:17, the pilot transmitted, "four quebec"

At 0742:24, ZMP5R transmitted, "baron seven four quebec contact chicago center now one three three point three thirty three three theyre aware of the situation"

At 0742:30, the pilot transmitted, "four quebec"

At 0742:57, Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center transmitted, "november four five seven four quebec chicago"

At 0743:01, the pilot transmitted, "seven four quebec go ahead bud"

There were no further radio transmissions received by Chicago Air Traffic Control Center, VOK Tower or by aircraft that participated in the communications search after this time.

A witness, who also reported that he is a pilot, stated that he heard an aircraft go over his shop at approximately 600 feet above ground level (agl) when dark smoke came out of the centerline of the aircraft. He further stated that the aircraft appeared to be steady with the landing gear up and that it crashed 1-1/2 miles away and was heading in a southwesterly direction.

A second witness reported that he saw the aircraft approximately 500 feet to 600 feet agl heading from the northeast to the southwest with the landing gear up. The witness also stated that the aircraft seemed under control when he saw black smoke pouring out of the aircraft's backend. The witness went on to say that the aircraft landed about a mile or more from his house.

The wreckage location was located at latitude 43 59.52'N longitude 90 26.25'W or approximately 2.2 nmi on a magnetic bearing of 064 degrees from Y72, 13.1 nmi on a magnetic bearing of 081 degrees from CMY and 13.1 nmi on a magnetic bearing of 295 degrees from VOK.

Personnel information

A search of the pilot's FAA records indicated no history of accidents, incidents, or enforcement actions.

The pilot, age 52, was hired as a pilot by the State of Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on July 8, 1985 and was subsequently transferred to Department of Administration (DOA) on July 3, 1988. He held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane multiengine and single engine land ratings in addition to commercial rotorcraft and instrument helicopter ratings and their respective flight instructor ratings. He also held a ground instructor certificate with advanced and instrument ratings. The pilot served as a pilot-in-command and an instructor under FAR Part 91 on Beech Queen Air aircraft and under FAR Part 135 on Beech King Air 200.

His first-class medical was issued on July 7, 1998, with the limitation, "holder shall wear glasses which correct for near/intermediate vision while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate." Records provided by the DOA indicate that the pilot had accumulated approximately 14,800 total flying hours. He had logged 1,200 hours in the Beech Baron, of which 101 hours were in the previous year and 18 hours were in the previous 90 days from the date of the accident. The pilot received an in-house proficiency check conducted by the DOA in July of 1997.

The DOA described the pilot's duty time for a 72-hour period before the accident. On September 13, 1998, he was on duty from 1430-2030 with a 2.1 hour flight in a Beech Queen Air. On September 15, 1998, the pilot was on duty from 0700-1500 for a flight which later cancelled. On September 16, 1998, the pilot was scheduled to begin duty at 0600 for a 0700 departure to RZN.

Aircraft information

The 1973 Beech Baron 58, serial number TH-374, N4574Q, registered to the State of Wisconsin, had a total airframe time of 7,766 hours. The aircraft was equipped with a 24-volt electrical system powered by a battery and two gear-driven alternators. The aircraft was maintained by the DOA under the Beechcraft continuing care inspection program since September 30, 1986 and had completed period 6 of 12 on July 2, 1998 at an airframe time of 7,735 hours.

The left engine, Teledyne Continental IO-520-CB, serial number 282177-R, is a fuel injected, air cooled six cylinder engine rated at 285 horsepower at 2,700 rpm. The engine was overhauled on February 20, 1992 and had accumulated 1,550 hours since its last overhaul.

The right engine, Teledyne Continental IO-520-CB, serial number 172847-H, is a fuel injected, air cooled six cylinder engine rated at 285 horsepower at 2,700 rpm. The engine was overhauled on June 18, 1997 and had accumulated 206 hours since its last overhaul.

An electric door