MIA01FA107

The pilot obtained a weather briefing from an FAA Automated Flight Service Station for his IFR flight from Lincolnton, North Carolina, to Concord, North Carolina. The pilot was informed that the weather at Lincolnton was one hundred overcast, a quarter of a mile visibility, and winds were calm. He was also informed that no weather was available at Concord, and that the ILS and DME was unmonitored. The pilot was asked if he had the notams and he replied "yeah". The pilot did not list an alternate airport, and an alternate was required due to existing weather conditions. Another company pilot called the office and informed the pilot that he was canceling his flight due to weather. The accident pilot informed him that aware of the glide slope being out of service and that he would probably delay his flight. The pilot departed Lincolnton and established radio contact with approach control. The pilot was informed that the glide slope was out of service and that the ILS/DME was unmonitored. The pilot was provided radar vectors and subsequently cleared for the ILS approach. The pilot was provided a frequency change and to report canceling IFR on the ground or on this frequency. A witness who lives in the vicinity of the airport stated she heard an airplane approaching her location. She heard a pop sound and looked out the window and observed the power line shaking. The fog was half way up the trees. She awakened her son and went to investigate. He returned a short time later and stated he observed a crashed airplane. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.

History of flight

On March 30, 2001, at about 0606 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N42Y call sign catbird 124, registered to NES Enterprises of NC LLC, operated by Corporate Air Fleet as a 14 CFR Part 135 air taxi flight, crashed during an ILS runway 20 instrument approach to Concord Regional Airport, Concord, North Carolina. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and the commercial pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Lincolnton, North Carolina (IPJ), about 25 minutes before the accident.

Review of communication between Charlotte approach control and catbird 124 revealed that catbird 124 was cleared for takeoff at 1050:00Z (05:50 EST) with the restriction that his clearance was void if not off the ground by 1055. Catbird 124 reported at 1052:45, that he was runway heading climbing to 3,000 feet. Charlotte departure informed catbird 124 that he was radar contact at 1053:05, and instructed him to climb and maintain 4,000 feet which was acknowledged by catbird 124 at 1053:10. At 1053:45, catbird 124 was asked by approach if he was familiar with the notams at Concord, and was informed that the glide slope was out of service and that the ILS DME was unmonitored. Catbird 124 stated, "yes sir I mean yes maam." He was further instructed by approach that the visibility was unreliable at Concord as well as the AWOS visibility, and was instructed to advise when he had the AWOS information, which was acknowledged. At1054:59 approach stated, "attention all aircraft arrival information Oscar is current altimeter two inner seven niner and the wind is calm." Catbird 124 was instructed to fly heading 090 at 1055:33. At 1058:00, approach stated, "attention all aircraft visibility is now one mile," and instructed catbird 124 to fly heading 150 at1102:30. At 1102:38, approach asked catbird 124 if he knew the glide slope was out of service, and he replied, "aah yessir." Catbird 124 was informed by approach at 1103:27, that he was 4 miles from gliss, instructed him to descend and maintain 3,000 feet until established on the localizer, and informed him that he was cleared for the ILS runway 20 approach at Concord. Catbird 124 acknowledged the clearance at 1103:32. At 1104:04, catbird 124 was informed he was frequency change approved and to report canceling IFR on his frequency on the ground. Catbird 124 acknowledged the transmission at 1104:19. The last recorded radar hit on catbird 124 was at 1105:40. The airplane was at 1,700 feet, heading 179 degrees at 143 knots groundspeed.

A witness who lives about 1.5 miles from the Concord Airport stated she went outside of her home at about 5:30 a.m. to let her dog out. The weather was very foggy, and she could not see the tree line across the street. At about 6:00 a.m., she was inside her house and heard an airplane approaching. A very short time later she heard a pop sound, looked out her window and observed the power line shaking. The fog was now about half way up a tree located in her yard. She awakened her son and he departed for the vacant field located across the street. He returned a few minutes later and reported he observed a crashed airplane. She immediately called 911, and then departed to the crash site to see if they could assist.

Another pilot employed by Corporate Air Fleet stated he was scheduled to fly a flight from Lincolnton, North Carolina, to Charlotte, and Florence, North Carolina, on March 30, 2001. He called the Raleigh Durham Automated Flight Service at about 5:00 a.m. to obtain a weather briefing. He elected to cancel his flight due to weather. He called the office at 5:30 a.m. and spoke with the accident pilot, and informed him that he was canceling his flight. The accident pilot informed him that he was aware of the glide slope at Concord being of service, he stated that he was going to call the courier at Concord, and probably delay his flight.

Review of the transcript between Raleigh Automated Flight Service Station (RAFSS) and catbird 124 revealed that catbird 124 called RAFSS at 1029:02. Catbird 124 informed the briefer that he would be departing IPJ going to Concord, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Jacksonville, and would be departing in about 30 minutes. The briefer informed catbird 124, " uh that low is sitting right on top of us so everything is down the pipe pretty tight un Lincolnton is reporting a quarter of a mile with one hundred overcast winds calm nothing available for Concord." The briefer provided the weather for Fayetteville, Wilmington and Charlotte. The briefer informed catbird 124 that IPJ 23 ILS and DME was unmonitored and the 20 ILS was unmonitored. The pilot was asked if he had the notams and he replied "yeah". Catbird 124 ended the briefing at 1032:08.

Personnel information

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a commercial pilot certificate on June 8, 1996, with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, instrument airplane. In addition, he was issued a flight instructor certificate on August 22, 2000, with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a second-class medical certificate issued on April 11, 2000, with no limitations. The FAA issued a statement of demonstrated ability on April 5, 1989, for no vision in the right eye. Review of records on file with Corporate Air Fleet revealed the pilot completed his basic indoctrination on December 16, 2000. He completed his Piper PA-32 training on December 16, 2000, and completed his PA-31 Part 135-check ride and was hired by Corporate Air Fleet on December 18, 2000. The pilot indicated on the Corporate Air Fleet Pilot Qualification Record that he had accumulated 4,800 total single engine hours, 200 hours actual instruments, 150 hours hood, 25 hours simulator, and 500 hours of night cross country time. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed he had recorded as logged 5917.3 total hours of which 298.5 hours were in the PA-32RT-300. He had recorded 271.4 hours in the last 90 days of which 272 hours were in the PA-32RT-300. He had flown 124.7 hours in the last 30 days of which 112.1 hours were in the PA-32RT-300, and he had flown 9.3 hours in the last 24 hours.

Aircraft information

Review of maintenance records revealed the aircraft engine was factory overhauled by Textron Lycoming on August 12, 1999, at Williamsport Pennsylvania, and was installed on N42Y on October 12, 1999. The last recorded annual inspection was conducted on October 25, 2000, at tach time 2107.0 The last recorded 100-hour inspection was conducted on March 15, 2001, at tach time 2675.8 The tach time at the crash site was 2743.1. The altimeter system, static pressure system, and transponder were inspected on October 20, 1999. The transponder was replaced by a new transponder on November 30, 1999. Review of the logbook revealed no record of autopilot discrepancies. Refueling records on file revealed that N42Y was refueled on March 29, 2000, with 31 gallons of fuel.

Meteorological information

The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Concord, North Carolina The 0601 surface weather observation was: 400 overcast, visibility 1 mile, temperature 45 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 45 degrees Fahrenheit, wind calm, and altimeter 29.79. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to the Raleigh Durham Automated Flight Service Station, the pilot of N42Y called and received a full weather briefing before departing on the flight and a canned flight plan was filed. Review of the flight plan revealed that no alternate airport was listed for the flight. The following NOTAMS for Concord Regional Airport were in effect at the time of the accident:

1. ILS runway