ERA14LA312

NTSB accident investigation · Raytheon C90A · Houston, MS · June 25, 2014

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 25, 2014, 07:50 local (12:50 UTC)
Place
Houston, MS
Injuries
2 minor, 3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N800MKRaytheon C90A
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 11, 2015
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20140625012979A
Case key
89540

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach and his subsequent failure to maintain airplane control during the landing flare, which resulted in touchdown off the side of the runway and collision with a ditch.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedRaytheon C90A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotRaytheon C90A: 4 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Action: incorrect action performancePersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotRaytheon C90A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,386 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot reported that he was at the controls during the approach and landing. He stated that, just before touchdown, the right wing "rose severely" and that the copilot called out "windshear" and "go around." As he applied power, the airplane rolled left again, so he retarded the throttles. The airplane subsequently settled into the grass to the left side of the runway and then struck a ditch, spun around, and came to rest upright. The airplane was substantially damaged due to the impact and a postaccident fire. The copilot reported that it felt like the wind was trying to "lift the tail and cartwheel them over." The airport did not have weather reporting capability; however, surrounding airports reported light wind with no gusts, and no windshear was reported. A review of weather radar and geostationary weather satellite data for the accident region did not identify any convective or gust-front activity, and a review of National Weather Service data did not identify the presence of, or conditions conducive to, ground-level windshear for the accident region at the time of the accident. A review of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript revealed that, although the copilot called out "go around," he did not mention windshear or any other weather phenomena at any time during the approach or accident sequence. Based on the conversation between the pilots recorded on the CVR, the approach was probably unstable for a period of time before landing. The CVR transcript also revealed that the more experienced copilot provided a significant amount of "coaching" during the approach; however, it could not be determined what effect this might have had on the pilot's performance.

Factual narrative

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 25, 2014, about 0750 central daylight time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A, N800MK, was substantially damaged following a runway excursion during an attempted go-around at Houston, Mississippi (M44). The commercial-rated pilot, co-pilot, and two passengers were not injured, while one passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was operated by BECS, LLC under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed for corporate flight that originated at Memphis, Tennessee (MEM). According to the pilot, who was seated in the left, cockpit seat, he was at the controls and was performing a visual approach to runway 21. Just prior to touchdown, while at 90 knots and with approach flaps extended, the right wing "rose severely and tried to put the airplane into a severe left bank." He recalled that the co-pilot called "wind shear" and "go around." As he applied power, the airplane rolled left again, so he retarded the throttles and allowed the airplane to settle into the grass on the left side of runway 21. The airplane struck a ditch, spun around, and came to rest in the grass, upright. A post-crash fire ensued in the left engine area. The pilot and passengers exited the airplane using the main entry door. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. The co-pilot reported the following. As they turned onto final, he noticed that the wind "picked up" a little by the wind sock. The final approach was stable, and as the pilot began to flare, he noticed the vertical speed indicator "pegged out." The airplane encountered an unexpected wind shear just above the runway. He called out for a go around. The pilot was doing everything he could to maintain control of the airplane. It was a "jarring" effect when they hit the shear. It felt like the wind was trying to lift the tail and cartwheel them over. He felt that the pilot did a good job of keeping the airplane from flipping over. In his 30,000-plus hours flying airplanes, he has never experienced anything quite like what they experienced with this shear. He has instructed on the King Air and does not feel that the pilot could have done anything different to avoid the accident. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 35, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane privileges. He reported 2,105 hours total flight time, including 223 hours in the accident airplane type. The co-pilot, age 56, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, instrument airplane, and flight instructor privileges. He reported more than 12,000 hours total time and more than 700 hours in the accident airplane type. He reported more than 7,000 hours as a flight instructor. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION M44 did not have weather reporting capability at the time of theaccident; the airfield was equipped with a wind sock. The closest station with weather reporting capability was Tupelo, Mississippi, located 26 nautical miles (nm) to the northeast. The surface wind at 0725, 0753, and 0853 was from 260 degrees at 6 knots, 270 degrees at 6 knots, and 280 degrees at 6 knots, respectively. The surface wind Aberdeen/Amory, Mississippi (M40), located 27 nm east of M44, at 0735, 0755, and 0815 was reported as calm. The surface wind at Starkville, Mississippi, located 29 nm south of M44, at 0735, 0755, and 0815 was from 250 degrees at 5 knots, 250 degrees at 5 knots, and 280 degrees at 4 knots, respectively. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were reviewed by a staff meteorologist with the NTSB. He reported that a review of surface weather stations in the region indicated the wind was generally from the west to southwest, with little variability beyond that, at magnitudes less than 10 knots. A review of both weather radar and geostationary weather satellite data for the accident region did not identify any convective or gust front activity. Forecast discussion products from the National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee, did not identify the presence of, or the conditions conducive to, ground-level wind shear for the accident region at the accident time. AIRPORT INFORMATION M44 was an uncontrolled airport with an elevation of 337 feet. There were no published instrument procedures at the time of the accident. Runway 3/21 was 4,400 feet long and 75 feet wide, and was constructed of asphalt. Runway 21 was equipped with a two-light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) set at 3.0 degrees. FLIGHT RECORDERS The airplane was equipped with a Fairchild A-100S cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The airplane was not equipped with a flight data recorder. The CVR was removed by the FAA inspector and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC for examination. Due to quality issues with the recording, the speakers in this summary are referred to as "a pilot" or "the pilots." If a determination could not be made, the voice was referred to as "unidentified." The times referenced in the summary are elapsed time from the beginning of the recording (in minutes and seconds). At 26:21, a pilot reported the flight was crossing midfield for a left downwind for runway 21 at M44. At 26:51, one pilot asked the other, "You got it in sight brother?" followed by laughter. A pilot then said to the other, "One of the things you don't want to do" followed by unintelligible discourse. The pilots then confirmed that they could see the tower ahead. At 27:42, a pilot said, "Alright turn base." At 27:53, a pilot said, "Power power" and the other pilot responded "Yes sir." A pilot then said "Bring it on down." At 28:37, a pilot said, "Alright bring her on around." At 28:52, a pilot said, "Stop the turn." At 29:11, an unidentified voice asked, "Can you get it in there?" and a pilot responded "Yeah." At 29:39, anautomated voice reported, "Five hundred." At 30:02, a pilot was recorded at a higher volume saying, "Heading heading heading." During this time, a mid-level tone, similar to an altitude alert, sounded twice. At 30:05, a pilot said, "You can't pull that power back." At 30:10, a pilot said, "Alright get it in there." At 30:14, a pilot said, "Come on. Get it. Get it in there." At 30:17, a pilot was recorded at a high volume, saying, "Go around. Go around." The other pilot responded, "Goin' around." During this time, the engine sound increased. At 30:21, a pilot asked, "You got it? You got it?" Another pilot said, "No." At 30:25, the sound of a "thunk" was recorded, consistent with an initial impact. The recording ended coincident with the end of the thunk. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The airplane impacted and came to rest in a grass field to the left of runway 21, on airport property. He confirmed substantial damage to both wings and fire damage in the area of the left and right engines.

Aircraft

Registration
N800MK
Reported as
Raytheon C90A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
LJ-1460
Built
1996
Airframe hours
2,708
Engines
P&W Canada PT6A-21, 600 horsepower, turbo propP&W Canada PT6A-21, 600 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Executive/Corporate · Part 91
Operator
Becs, LLC
Registered owner
Becs, LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
AAIP · April 21, 2014
Departed
MEM · Memphis, TN
Destination
M44 · Houston, MS
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
M44 · Houston Municipal, runway 21, 4,400 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
35
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 26, 2013
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
2,105 total · 223 in this make and model · 1,586 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days
Role
Co-pilot
Age
56
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 23, 2014
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
12,000 total · 700 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 6 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
600 ft overcast
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
30.07 inHg
Observed at
TUP, 26 nm away

Docket · 8

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.