FTW03FA059

The aircraft collided with mountainous terrain in a level descent during a visual approach to the destination airport. According to recorded radar data, 10 minutes after descending from 15,000 feet, the flight impacted about 200 feet below the top of the partially obscured ridgeline (elevation of 2550 feet), and 8 miles from the destination. The data indicates the flight path was similar to the global positioning satellite (GPS) approach to the airport. Six minutes before the accident, and the pilot's last transmission to air traffic control, he was informed and acknowledged that radar service was terminated. The flight was 12.4 miles from the accident site when radar contact was lost. Reduced visibility due to fog hampered search & rescue efforts, and the aircraft wreckage was located the next day. The aircraft was equipped with a GPS navigation system; however the installation was incomplete, restricting its use to visual flight rules (VFR) only. The investigation did not determine if the GPS was being used at the time. A non-enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System was also installed. The maximum elevation figure listed on the sectional aeronautical chart covering the area of the accident site and destination airport was 3000 feet mean sea level. The chart also shows an advisory for the area to use caution due to rapidly rising.

History of flight

On December 9, 2002, approximately 1140 central daylight time (CDT), a Beech 1900C twin turboprop airplane, N127YV, registered to Raytheon Aircraft Credit Corporation of Wichita, Kansas, and operated by Raytheon Aircraft Services Inc., of Wichita, Kansas, was destroyed when it collided with terrain approximately 8 miles north of the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport (M39), Mena, Arkansas. The airline transport pilot and 2 airline transport pilot rated passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Mid-Continent Airport (ICT), Wichita, Kansas, at 1043, and its intended destination was Mena, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed en route from Wichita toward Mena, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. VFR flight following was requested by the pilot after takeoff from Wichita.

The airplane had been in Mena, Arkansas, at Rose Aviation Inc., undergoing refurbishment and final preparations for a acceptance/delivery flight to its new owner. Rangeflyers Inc., of Wichita, Kansas, was contracted by Raytheon Credit Corporation to provide pilot services to Rose Aviation to facilitate delivery of the airplane to Hageland Airlines, of Anchorage, Alaska. On the morning of the accident the airplane departed Mena at 0620 with two Rangeflyers pilots; one acting as the pilot-in-command (PIC), and the other pilot who, according to Rangeflyers, was listed as a pilot rated passenger. The intent of the flight was to pick up the CEO/President of Hageland Airlines, who was the airline's representative to accept delivery and finalize the purchase of the airplane. The airplane landed at Wichita approximately 0745 after an uneventful flight from Mena. The airplane parked approximately 2.5 hours at the Raytheon Aircraft Services ramp at Wichita waiting to make a return flight to Mena. The intent of the flight from Wichita to Mena was to transport the CEO of Hageland Airlines to Mena (Rose Aviation) so he could authorize a pre-purchase agreement for another 1900C, after which, he was going to fly from Mena to Wichita with a Rangeflyers PIC to accept delivery of N127YV.

Just prior to takeoff from Wichita, a Raytheon employee witnessed the non-PIC Rangeflyers pilot close the main cabin door. According to air traffic control (ATC) records provided by the FAA, at 1031, the PIC of N127YV contacted Wichita Clearance Delivery and requested "VFR to Mena, Arkansas," at 17,500 feet. Wichita Clearance Delivery acknowledged the request and assigned transponder code "0451." At 1043, the airplane departed Wichita en route to Mena. At 1049, Wichita Departure Control contacted N127YV and advised them that radar services were terminated, and to squawk "VFR." N127YV then requested radar flight following en route to Mena. Wichita Departure Control then assigned N127YV to Kansas City Center for radar flight following. At 1128, N127YV switched frequencies from Kansas City Center to Memphis Center, and advised Memphis Center that they were at an altitude of 15,500 feet and "VFR." Memphis Center acknowledged, "report Mena airport in sight, Fort Smith altimeter [setting] three zero three six."

From recorded radar data provided by the FAA, the airplane began what appeared to be a steady descent out of 15,500 feet at 1130:22. At 1132:35, radar showed the airplane descending through 11,900 feet. At 1133:09, radar showed the airplane descending thru 9,800 feet, at 241 knots ground speed, on a bearing of 122 degrees. The last recorded radar data point, at 1135:58, showed the airplane at 5,100 feet, at 190 knots ground speed, on a bearing of 126 degrees. At 1136:43, Memphis Center advised N127YV that radar contact was lost and radar services were terminated (which was normal for the mountainous area in which the airplane was flying). At 1136:49, the pilot of N127YV acknowledged, "thanks, have a good one." No further radio transmissions were received from N127YV. The airplane did not arrive in Mena. A missing airplane search was initiated by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and local law enforcement. The wreckage was spotted in rugged mountainous terrain near the top of a 2,550-foot ridge line by a CAP airplane on the afternoon of December 10, 2002. Foot access to the accident site was hindered by rain, fog and steep, rocky terrain.

When plotted on a topographical chart, the distance between the last radar contact of the airplane and the accident site was approximately 12.4 nautical miles. The distance between the accident site and the airplane's intended destination (Mena) was approximately 8 nautical miles.

Personnel information

The pilot's personal flight logbook was not reviewed. FAA records showed that the pilot held a valid airline transport pilot certificate, issued on August 1, 2002. He was type-rated in the BE-1900, ME-300, and BE-400 and had completed the Flight Safety International 1900D airliner pilot recurrent course on February 28, 2001. He also held an instrument rating and instructor ratings for single engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a valid FAA first class medical certificate dated, July 8, 2002, with no limitations. As of the date of his last medical certificate application, the pilot reported 10,108 total flight hours with 150 flight hours in the previous 6 months.

The pilot had been contracted by Rangeflyers, Inc. to provide pilot services in support of the pending sale of the accident airplane. As of the date of the accident, the pilot had completed seven check flights in the accident airplane, totaling 4.3 hours.

Aircraft information

The 1990 model Beechcraft 1900C Airliner, serial number UC-127, was configured as a passenger transport, and was powered by 2 Pratt & Whitney, Canada, Inc., PT6A-65B turbo propeller engines. Each engine was equipped with a Hartzell Propeller, Inc., HC-B4MP-3A four-bladed (composite blades), hydraulically operated, constant-speed propeller with feathering and reversing capabilities. The airplane had seating for 19 passengers, two aircrew stations, and dual flight controls. A cockpit voice recorder system was installed. A flight data recorder system was not installed. The airplane had a separate pitot static system for the pilot's flight instruments and for the co-pilot's flight instruments, and was equipped with dual communication and navigation radios.

Time Summary

Airframe

S/N UC-127: Approximately 12,473.7 hours since manufactured.

Left Engine

S/N GG32390: Approximately 12,128.9 hours since new, 462.1 hours since overhaul.

Left Propeller

S/N FWA3367: Approximately 11,064 hours since new.

Right Engine:

S/N GG32543: Approximately 12,537.9 hours since new, 462.1 hours since overhaul.

Right Propeller

S/N FWA3368: Approximately 10,625 hours since new.

A GPS navigation system was installed, and the airplane was equipped with a non-enhanced GPWS (ground proximity warning system). A review of the Honeywell GPWS Pilot Guide revealed the following listed system constraint: A non-enhanced GPWS may give little or no advanced warning time for flight into precipitous terrain where there are few or no preceding obstructions. This particularly applies if the aircraft is in a stabilized descent at a normal approach descent rate, and there is no ILS glide slope signal being received or not available.

A review of FAA registration records revealed that the airplane was purchased by Beech Acceptance Corporation, Inc. on November 30, 1990, and was leased to Mesa Airlines during the period, December 4, 1990, to January 5, 1996. Beech Acceptance Corporation, Inc. became Raytheon Credit Corporation, Inc. The airplane was leased to Raytheon Aircraft Services during the period, April 1, 1997, until November 28, 1999.

A review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that Raytheon Aircraft Services (RAS) located in Ro