Flight Progress
Approximately 8 miles south of the destination airport, the pilot informed the air traffic controller that the airport was in sight. The controller terminated flight following and directed the pilot to contact the airport UNICOM for advisories. No further radio communications were received from the aircraft.
Radar and GPS Data
Review of radar data showed a target transmitting a 1200 beacon code southwest of the airport, traveling northeast at a level altitude of 5,500 feet. The target maintained level flight until beginning a descent about 8 miles south of the airport. It continued descending and made a right turn about 2 miles east of the airport. Approximately 3 miles northeast of the airport, the target was at 4,400 feet heading east, after which no further radar returns were recorded.
Data from a hand-held GPS unit recovered from the wreckage indicated that about 2 miles east of the airport, the aircraft initiated a right turn at 142 knots. During the turn, airspeed increased by an average of 8.6 knots over a 25-second period. The last GPS data point, recorded about 3 miles northeast of the airport, showed a heading of 163 degrees magnetic and an airspeed of 211 knots.
Weather Conditions
The weather recorded at the destination airport approximately 6 minutes after the accident included wind from 160 degrees at 4 knots, unrestricted visibility of 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,700 feet, temperature 83°F, dew point 71°F, and an altimeter setting of 30.12 inches of mercury. Examination of Geostationary Operations Environmental Satellite number 12 (GOES-12) data from the NTSB's McIDAS workstation revealed an area of low clouds near the accident site, with cloud tops approximately 4,500 feet.
Accident
The aircraft experienced an in-flight breakup along a ridgeline within the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. According to the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook, the Never Exceed Speed (Vne) was published as 173 knots indicated airspeed.