History of Flight
On February 28, 2010, at 1403 Central Standard Time, a Hawker Beechcraft C24R Sierra (registration N63713) was destroyed when it struck a power line and impacted terrain across the street from Jones Municipal Airport (3F7) in Bristow, Oklahoma. The personal flight departed from Richard Lloyd Jones, Jr., Airport (RVS) in Jenks, Oklahoma, at 1348. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was conducted under Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger on board sustained fatal injuries.
A witness located about one mile from the accident site observed the airplane circle the airport from south to north. When it reappeared, it was flying at low altitude between two hangars. A loud "pop" was heard followed by engine sputtering. The airplane then collided with power lines and impacted the ground, resulting in a post-impact fire.
Personnel Information
The 38-year-old pilot-in-command held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, issued March 14, 2003. He also held a third-class medical certificate dated February 1, 2008, with no limitations. The 37-year-old pilot-rated passenger held a private pilot certificate with the same rating, issued September 20, 2004, and a third-class medical certificate dated February 24, 2007, with no limitations. According to FAA records, the pilot estimated 310 total flight hours at his last medical application, while the passenger estimated 300 hours. Whether either pilot had flown into Jones Memorial Airport before is unknown.
Aircraft Information
The 1982 aircraft, serial number MC-777, was a 4-place, low-wing monoplane with wing flaps and retractable landing gear. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 engine (200 hp) driving a Hartzell 2-blade constant-speed propeller. The last annual inspection was performed on May 27, 2009, at a tachometer time of 2928.45 hours. The aircraft was certified for IFR on August 5, 2009, and the ELT battery was replaced on July 13, 2009.
Meteorological Information
At 1353, the METAR from Richard Lloyd Jones, Jr., Airport (30 miles northeast of the accident site) reported: wind 090 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 11°C, dew point -4°C, altimeter 30.05 inHg.
Aerodrome Information
Jones Memorial Airport (3F7) is located 3 miles southwest of Bristow at an elevation of 851 feet msl. It has one asphalt runway, 17-35, 3,400 feet long and 45 feet wide. The narrow north-south runway is not level and dips in several places. A service road runs parallel to the west side of the runway, with power lines along its east side.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was found in a field west of the airport at coordinates 35° 48.591' N, 096° 25.407' W, elevation 800 feet msl. A ground scar approximately the length of a wing, containing green lens fragments, terminated at a depression with engine components. The cockpit was located 22 feet from the crater, and the separated propeller and inverted left wing were 48 feet away. The wreckage path was aligned on a magnetic heading of 320 degrees.
Control cable continuity was established. Stabilator trim was 5 degrees tab down (nose up). Flap jackscrew showed 13 threads (25 degrees down; full flaps are 35 degrees down exposing 10 threads). Landing gear was down and locked. Both door latch bayonets were extended. The cockpit was destroyed by fire, and the fuel selector was not located. Two seatbelt buckles were found fastened; shoulder harnesses were not located. Both fuel caps were secured.
A re-examination at Air Salvage of Dallas on March 31, 2010, including NTSB, FAA, Beech, and Textron-Lycoming personnel, found no evidence of a wire strike on the propeller blades, landing gear assemblies, or left wing.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies on both occupants were performed by the Oklahoma Criminal Laboratory. Toxicology screens on the first pilot were conducted by FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute.
Tests and Research
According to a Western Claims insurance adjuster, the power lines involved included five wires on poles 35 feet tall with wires drooping to about 25 feet at mid span. Three conductor lines carried 14,400 to 24,000 volts, and two of them required splicing. One power pole and cross arms on two others were replaced. Pole spacing was 287 and 290 feet.
Runway 35 at Jones Municipal Airport was examined: the first half is relatively flat, then the runway slopes down from 851 to 840 feet msl at the 500-foot mark, remains level to about 1,900 feet, then slopes down to 803 feet msl at the end.