History of Flight
On June 7, 2020, about 0425 central daylight time, a Mitsubishi MU-2 airplane, registration N44MX, was destroyed when it crashed near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight was operated by McNeely Charter Service, Inc. as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand cargo flight.
The flight originated at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) in Everett, Washington, about 2115, with an intended fuel stop at Huron Regional Airport in Huron, South Dakota. Due to weather conditions at Huron, the pilot diverted to Joe Foss Field Airport (FSD) in Sioux Falls, landing at 0140. The final destination was Kokomo Municipal Airport in Kokomo, Indiana.
Recovered GPS data showed the airplane departed FSD from runway 15 at 0426. A video recording indicated a normal takeoff roll, but after rotation, a high pitch angle was established. The right wing began to dip and continued dropping until the airplane rolled onto its right side, nosed over, and descended nose-down into terrain. Radar track data began when the airplane reached about 45 feet above ground level and comprised only three radar hits over three seconds.
Personnel Information
McNeely Charter Service records indicated the pilot completed recurrent company training in the SA-226/227 on September 3, 2019, and an airman competency/proficiency check under Part 135.293, 135.297, and 135.299 on September 11, 2019, in the SA-227. The instrument proficiency check under 135.297 had an expiration date of March 31, 2020. The most recent competency check in the MU-2B was completed on March 23, 2019, and the most recent MU-2 Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) training was completed on March 16, 2020, with Howell Enterprises, Inc. At the time of the accident, the pilot was operating under FAA exemption 18510, allowing two additional grace months for completion of training and qualification requirements under 14 CFR 135.293 for the MU-2B.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in the infield area north of taxiway B3, between taxiway B and runway 3-21. The airplane came to rest on its left side with both wings separated, and the fuselage was highly fragmented forward of the main landing gear. Post-accident examination established flight control continuity from the main cabin to all respective control surfaces. Examination of the airframe, engines, fuel control units, and propeller governors revealed no evidence of pre-existing anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Additional Information
McNeely operated without assigned duty/rest periods. Part 135.267(d) requires each crewmember to have at least 10 consecutive hours of rest during the 24-hour period preceding the planned completion time of the assignment. The Aircraft and Engine Log recovered from the debris field contained two entries for June 5, 2020. The first entry recorded a flight from West Memphis, Arkansas (AWM) to Scottsbluff, Nebraska (BFF) with an out time of 1552 and an in time of 1754. The second entry was for a flight from BFF to PAE with an out time of 1926 and an in time of 2321.
According to family members, on June 5, the accident pilot left home for his office about 0800, where he remained until the flight to PAE. The drive from home to office took about 30 minutes. Cell phone records for June 6 showed the first company email from the pilot at 0906, followed by a text message conversation with the company president from 1026 to 1044. Text messages, phone calls, and emails continued until about 1245 and resumed about 2023. The investigation was unable to determine whether the pilot rested during the day.
Medical and Pathological Information
A line service technician who fueled the airplane before the accident noted that the pilot appeared to have difficulty completing fueling paperwork but offered no explanation. An autopsy performed by the Sanford Health Pathology Clinic listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries and the manner as accident. The examination was limited by the degree of injury. Atherosclerotic stenosis (80%) of the circumflex coronary artery was identified, with no evidence of scarring from previous ischemia. No other natural disease was found. Toxicology tests conducted by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory did not identify any tested-for substances.
Organizational and Management Information
McNeely Charter Service, Inc. was a Part 135 air carrier holding on-demand operations specifications, authorized to conduct business exclusively under the name "McNeely Charter Services, Inc." The director of operations (DO) was the pilot-in-command of the accident airplane. According to the General Operations Manual, the DO was responsible for managing the FAA-issued Air Carrier Certificate and served as the administrative head of the flight department, maintenance department, and other operations personnel, exercising operational control. The chief pilot stated in an interview that the accident pilot was primarily the DO, overseeing operations, and flew when needed.