History of Flight
On August 26, 2009, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Beech C24R, registration N770DL, was destroyed when it collided with trees and terrain near Jackson County Airport (24A), Sylva, North Carolina. The certificated private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight, which had departed from Creve Coeur Airport (1H0), St. Louis, Missouri, about 1020. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to flight service station records, the pilot requested an abbreviated weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan about 0945. He advised the briefer that the flight would be at 9,000 feet, last 3 hours, and that the airplane had 5.5 hours of fuel.
A driver scheduled to pick up the pilot and passenger at 24A around 1300 heard the pilot announce his arrival over the common traffic advisory frequency. The driver observed the airplane make an approach down runway 33, but it did not land. The airplane went around and approached again. The driver saw it touch down and then disappear. The driver later learned from local authorities that the airplane had crashed.
A police officer waiting at the airport for another aircraft also observed the accident airplane make a low approach from the south, followed by a second approach. He lost sight of it after the second approach and was advised shortly thereafter of the crash.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on January 10, 2008, with the limitation "must wear corrective lenses." His logbook showed 1,382 total flight hours, mostly in the accident airplane, with no previous flights to Jackson County Airport.
Aircraft Information
The most recent annual inspection was completed on August 20, 2008, at 2,300 total airframe hours. An overhauled landing gear motor and power pack were installed on July 20, 2009, at 2,480 hours. A handwritten notebook in the wreckage indicated 2,503 total hours as of August 24, 2009.
Meteorological Information
The 1400 weather observation at Macon County Airport (1A5), about 12 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, included wind from 200 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, temperature 28°C, dew point 17°C, and altimeter setting 30.18 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
Jackson County Airport is located 3 nautical miles southeast of Sylva, North Carolina, at an elevation of 2,857 feet. The single runway (15/33) is 3,003 feet long by 50 feet wide. A 300-foot drop-off lies about 300 feet beyond the departure end of runway 33.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination at the scene on August 27, 2009, revealed the airplane impacted a wooded area beyond the departure end of runway 33. The terrain sloped about 30 degrees downward. The wreckage came to rest inverted, nose down, partially suspended by a tree supporting the stabilator. Vegetation above and east showed defoliation.
At a recovery facility on September 10, 2009, control continuity was confirmed to rudder, ailerons, and stabilator. The right wing had impact damage and a 3-foot by 2-foot crush about 4 feet from the root, with the main spar separated at the root. The right main landing gear was separated; its actuator was extended. The left wing was separated for recovery; left main gear was pushed back. The left fuel tank ruptured, with about 1 gallon leaking. The left aileron was separated. The flap actuator corresponded to flaps retracted.
The vertical stabilizer had a right bend and wrinkled skin. The rudder was slightly buckled. The left stabilator had minor damage; the right stabilator was separated and bowed, with more trim tab damage. The stabilator trim tab actuator indicated 8 degrees tab trailing edge down.
The cockpit was compromised; instrument panel and engine controls broke away. The fuel selector was set to LEFT MAIN. The fuel strainer had trace fuel and no debris.
The engine was separated for recovery. The crankshaft rotated freely; valvetrain and powertrain continuity confirmed. Compression observed on all cylinders. No metallic particulates in oil filter. The magneto produced spark. Fuel flow divider smelled of fuel, but no visible fuel. Injector nozzles clear. Fuel injector servo broken, internal no anomalies, fuel smell present.
Two propeller blades remained attached; a third was broken out. Blade 1 had mild S-bending and aft bend about 30 degrees. Blade 2 had more pronounced S-bending, twisting, leading-edge gouge, and scoring. Blade 3 bent forward about 20 degrees with slight tip curl.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies were performed on the pilot and passenger by Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Toxicological testing by the FAA showed the pilot negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and drugs. The passenger tested negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol, but Cetirizine and Metoclopramide were detected.
Additional Information
A hand-held Garmin 295 GPS was recovered and downloaded. Data showed the flight cruising at about 9,400 feet until about 1340, then descending. At 1345, about 1.5 miles north of the airport, the airplane entered a left 360-degree descent from about 6,700 to 4,700 feet. It then descended in a right downwind pattern for runway 33, leveled at 3,100 feet (243 feet above airport elevation), and flew the runway length at 74 knots groundspeed.
The airplane climbed and flew a left pattern for runway 33 at 3,200 feet and 87 knots. In the final minute, it descended and slowed from 3,150 feet and 91 knots to 2,950 feet and 60 knots about 8 seconds before the final recorded positions. The final position was beyond the departure end of runway 33 at 2,973 feet altitude. Average groundspeed for the final segment was 63 knots.
According to the airframe manufacturer, given the airplane's loading and landing gear extended, flaps retracted configuration, the calculated power-off, wings-level stall speed was 61 knots calibrated airspeed.