History of Flight
On August 1, 2015, about 2100 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft King Air C90B, N257CQ, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight and subsequently impacted terrain near Georgetown Scott County Airport – Marshall Field (27K), Georgetown, Kentucky. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries; two other passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument rules flight plan was filed. The flight departed James M Cox Dayton International Airport (DAY), Dayton, Ohio, about 2030 with an intended destination of Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME), Somerset, Kentucky. The airplane was owned and operated by Absher Air LLC as a personal flight in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot's statement, the flight had stopped in DAY where two passengers disembarked. The pilot checked the fuel quantity indicator, which indicated 1,200 lbs of fuel. He determined that the flight needed between 360 and 410 lbs and did not require additional fuel. The flight departed DAY around 2030 and climbed to 12,000 ft above mean sea level. While en route, the cross-feed light illuminated and the pilot recycled the cross-feed switch; no other indicator lights illuminated. The cross-feed light illuminated again, and the pilot decided to land the airplane to troubleshoot the indicator. He requested to divert to the nearest airport, 27K, directly beneath the flight. Subsequently, the right engine shutdown and auto feathered. The pilot reduced power on the left engine, lowered the nose, and extended the landing gear to assist with descending and entering the traffic pattern for runway 21. When the landing gear extended and locked into place, the electrical system failed.
As the pilot began to level the descent and pushed the power levers for the left engine forward, the left engine did not respond. The flight paralleled the intended runway but trees were between the airplane and the runway. When the pilot visually acquired lights, he maneuvered to fly perpendicular to them, later determining they were parallel taxiway lights. As the flight approached the taxiway, the pilot determined they were lower than the required flight path. He pulled gently on the control wheel and heard the passenger in the right seat tell everyone to brace for impact. The next recollection was lying in the grass talking with a first responder.
Flight information indicated the flight originated at Red Lake Airport (CYRL), Red Lake, Ontario, Canada, earlier in the afternoon, flew to Duluth International Airport (DLH), Duluth, Minnesota, where fuel records indicated the airplane was fueled with 140 gallons of Jet A fuel with prist. The flight departed DLH about 50 minutes later and then landed in DAY prior to departing for SME. According to personnel at three FBOs at DAY, the airplane was not fueled at DAY. One FBO reported security video showed the airplane taxiing onto the ramp, engines shut down, several people exiting and then returning, and the airplane taxied out.
Personnel Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument rating. He held an FAA second-class medical certificate issued August 14, 2014, with limitations: "Must wear corrective lenses" and "Not valid for any class after." At the time of his most recent medical examination, the pilot reported 3,022.0 total hours of flight experience. He also held a mechanic certificate with an inspection authorization issued March 27, 2007, and renewed in March 2015.
Aircraft Information
According to FAA records and recent phase inspection workorders, the airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate on November 19, 1975, and was originally registered to Absher Air, LLC on December 12, 2001. It was powered by two Pratt and Whitney of Canada PT6A-21 engines driving McCauley four-bladed propellers. The most recent phase inspection (Phase 1 and 2) was conducted on April 30, 2015, with a recorded hourmeter of 2,312.0 hours. At the time of the accident, the hourmeter indicated 2,324.6 hours.
Meteorological Information
The 2054 recorded weather observation at Lexington Blue Grass Airport (LEX), Lexington, Kentucky, about 14 miles southwest of the accident location, included wind from 340° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 22°C, dew point 15°C, and barometric altimeter 30.00 inches of mercury. According to the United States Naval Observatory, official sunset was at 2048, end of civil twilight at 2117, moonrise at 2136, and 98% of the moon disc would have been visible if above the horizon.
Wreckage and Impact Examination
According to an FAA inspector, the airplane impacted the ground in a right-wing low attitude. It slid about 174 ft, impacted an embankment, became airborne, and came to rest on airport property about 238 ft from the initial impact location. The airplane came to rest upright on the belly, parallel to an airport taxiway. The left engine propeller was found in the feathered position, separated from the engine flange, near the wreckage. All four propeller blades exhibited S-bending and chordwise scratching. The right engine propeller blades were in flat pitch; one blade was bent aft with no other damage. Photographic documentation showed the master switch (battery, generator 1, generator 2) in the "OFF" position. Recovery personnel found 12 gallons of fuel in the left inboard tank, about 10 gallons in the right inboard tank; outboard tanks were breached. Blighting was observed in surrounding foliage.
Cockpit examination revealed the left engine power lever full forward, right engine power lever mid-range, left propeller lever full forward, right propeller lever in feather, left condition lever near low idle, right condition lever forward. The cockpit voice recorder was deactivated with circuit breaker pulled and collared on April 5, 2007.
The left engine remained attached to the left wing. The compressor turbine disc was intact with minimal scoring on the adjacent center bore, coinciding with minor rubbing on the power turbine baffle. Mechanical continuity existed from the accessory gearbox to the compressor turbine. The propeller was impact separated from the hub; blade angles were in or near feathered and exhibited signatures consistent with being under power at impact.
The right engine remained attached to the right wing, propeller attached. The propeller blades were in the latch position (near flat pitch). The chip detector was free of debris. The power turbine shaft section could not be rotated by hand; disassembly revealed two score marks on the power turbine disc. The compressor section rotated smoothly with mechanical continuity. No other abnormalities were noted. A liquid similar to Jet A was present in the fuel pump bowl with no debris; the fuel screen was clean. The right propeller blades were in the latch position with no power signature at impact. After lower cowling removal, the propeller blades moved to a feather or near-feather position; blade angle is controlled by oil pressure, so absence of oil pressure likely allowed movement to feather.
Additional Information
According to the King Air C90B (model C90A) Pilot's Operating Handbook, fuel consumption at 12,000 ft would be about 311 pounds per hour per engine. The handbook also provided engine starting procedures. FAA regulation 14 CFR 23.1353(h) requires the battery to provide at least 30 minutes of essential electrical power in the event of a total loss of primary power generation.