History of Flight
On November 27, 2008, at approximately 0925 Pacific standard time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company G36 single-engine airplane, N936EW, impacted terrain following a reported loss of engine power during a missed approach from Porterville Municipal Airport (PTV) in Porterville, California. The airplane was substantially damaged. The instrument-rated private pilot and two passengers were aboard; the pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries, and the other passenger sustained minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight originating from Redlands, California, at about 0800 with an intended destination of PTV.
Review of recorded communications showed that the pilot was cleared for the Porterville VOR approach at 0902 and then cleared to change to a local advisory frequency at 0909, with no further radio communication received.
According to the pilot, during the VOR approach at the WRING intersection, he performed the pre-landing checklist. Upon reaching the minimum descent altitude of 980 feet, he added power to maintain altitude. The engine then made a loud abnormal droning sound. Despite applying full throttle and ensuring full rich mixture and high RPM, he could not restore normal engine operation. With insufficient power to maintain altitude, he maintained heading and told passengers to brace for an emergency landing. In a later telephone conversation, the pilot stated that he entered layers of fog around 1,300 feet. At 980 feet, he asked passengers if they saw anything, and he saw a few breaks. Near the missed approach point, he declared a missed approach and applied full power, but the engine did not respond, making an unusual sound like a car's automatic transmission slipping. Shortly after, the airplane struck trees and the ground within an orange orchard.
A passenger reported that during the approach, the pilot asked if she could see the ground. Initially fog was patchy, but she lost all ground contact until the accident. The pilot said "keep looking" then "we're going around," and the engine was not responding, making a very loud and unusual noise.
The accident site was about 1 mile south of PTV, with the airplane upright in an orange grove. The engine was separated from the firewall, and the left wing was partially separated from the fuselage. The wreckage was recovered for further examination.
Meteorological Information
The Automated Weather Observation System at Porterville reported at 0915: wind from 300 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 3/4 statute miles, overcast cloud layer at 200 feet above ground level, temperature 13°C, dew point 12°C, altimeter 30.09 inches of Mercury. At 0935, the visibility was 1/2 statute miles with similar conditions.
Examination Findings
On December 16, 2008, representatives from Hawker Beechcraft Corporation and Teledyne Continental Motors, under the supervision of the Safety Board investigator-in-charge, examined the engine and airframe at Plain Parts in Pleasant Grove, California.
The airframe examination revealed that the right wing had a circular impression extending aft to the wing spar about six inches outboard of the fuel cap. The landing gear attachment structure was pushed upward through the top of the right wing with severe deformation. The left wing was partially attached, with the main landing gear crushed upward and separated, and the outboard portion severely deformed. The forward fuselage, including the instrument panel, engine firewall, and lower floorboard, separated forward of the main wing spar. The instrument panel and surrounding area sustained extensive damage. The throttle quadrant was separated, and the throttle, mixture, and propeller levers were found at the full aft position. The landing gear was in a down and locked position. The fuel selector valve was in the OFF position, though it was moved from RIGHT by recovery personnel. Fuel present was blue and free of debris. No pre-impact anomalies were found in the airframe or flight control systems.
The Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-B engine, serial number 687086, was separated from its mounts. All accessories and cylinders remained attached. Internal examination of the cylinders via borescope showed normal operational signatures. Manual rotation established continuity and compression on all cylinders, with spark produced by both magnetos. No pre-impact mechanical anomalies were found.
The propeller assembly examination showed blades loose in the hub with aft bending, decreased pitch twist, and scratches. The propeller governor examination also revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
No evidence of pre-impact mechanical anomalies was found in the recovered engine or propeller systems.