History of Flight
On March 17, 2013, at 1623 eastern daylight time, a Hawker Beechcraft model 390 (Premier IA) business jet, registration N26DK, serial number RB-226, collided with three residential structures following an aborted landing attempt on runway 9R at South Bend Airport (SBN) in South Bend, Indiana. The airplane was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 on an instrument flight rules flight plan, having departed Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 1356 central daylight time. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to air traffic control (ATC) information and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data, the flight proceeded normally toward South Bend. During the cruise at FL410, the pilot demonstrated flight management system functions to a pilot-rated-passenger, who was receiving instruction. The CVR captured discussions about fuel status, descent techniques, and airspeed management. At 1555:27, an overspeed warning sounded for 13.5 seconds; the pilot provided guidance on maintaining speed. Further overspeed warnings occurred at 1606:14, lasting 11.4 seconds.
As the flight descended toward South Bend, the pilot and pilot-rated-passenger exchanged instructions about power settings and descent planning. At 1614:26, two clicks were heard, followed by an electrical interruption and autopilot disconnect. Radar data showed the last position at 6,700 feet msl about 18 miles southwest of the airport. At 1614:29, the pilot said "uh-oh." The pilot then stated that the throttles had been moved behind the mechanical stops into the fuel cutoff position, causing a loss of engine power. The engine throttles had finger lifts to prevent inadvertent movement into cutoff.
Efforts to restart the engines were unsuccessful. At 1615:08, the pilot declared an emergency with both engines inoperative. The airplane approached the airport with only the nose landing gear extended. It bounced on the runway during an attempted landing, then climbed and entered a right traffic pattern. Subsequently, the airplane entered a nose-low, rolling descent into a residential area, impacting three houses.
Personnel Information
Pilot
The pilot, aged 58, held a private pilot certificate with single- and multi-engine land and instrument ratings, and a type rating for the Hawker Beechcraft 390. He received his type rating in May 2012 after training at The Jetstream Group. His total flight experience was estimated at about 613.7 hours, with at least 171.5 hours in the accident make and model.
Pilot-Rated-Passenger
The pilot-rated-passenger, aged 60, held a private pilot certificate with similar ratings. He had accumulated 1,877.2 total flight hours, but no logged experience in turbine-powered business jets. His last recorded flight was in September 2008. He was a friend of the pilot and had no official role on the flight.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 2008 Hawker Beechcraft 390 (Premier IA), serial number RB-226, powered by two Williams International FJ44-2A turbofan engines. It had a maximum takeoff weight of 12,500 pounds. Maintenance records showed no unresolved issues; the last inspection occurred at 419 hours total airframe time. The airplane's electrical system included a main battery and a standby battery; the latter could power essential systems during failures. The landing gear could be extended manually if hydraulic or electric power was lost.
The cockpit throttle quadrant had mechanical stops at the flight idle position; moving the throttles beyond these stops into the fuel cutoff position required lifting finger levers. This action shuts off fuel to the engines.