What happened
On February 13, 2022, a Pilatus PC-12/47E, registration N79NX, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Beaufort, North Carolina. The accident resulted in 8 fatal injuries, involving the commercial pilot and seven passengers.
Prior to takeoff from Hyde County Airport (7W6), the pilot and a passenger attempted to enter flight plan information into the avionics. The pilot decided to delay completing this task, stating, "we'll get it later." After departing, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The pilot subsequently requested VFR flight following and an IFR clearance to Michael J. Smith Field (MRH).
Throughout the flight, the pilot remained focused on programming the integrated flight management system (FMS). During this process, the aircraft entered a restricted airspace, which the pilot attempted to navigate around while continuing to struggle with the avionics. At approximately 13:56, the pilot changed the selected altitude to 1,800 feet. As the pilot continued to manipulate the FMS, the aircraft's airspeed decayed.
At 13:59, the aircraft's stall warning activated and the autopilot disengaged. The airspeed dropped to 93 knots as the pitch increased. The cockpit voice recorder captured continuous stall warnings, stick shaker activations, and terrain avoidance warnings. In the final moments, the aircraft entered a steep, descending right turn before impacting the ocean approximately 3 miles offshore.
The investigation
Investigators recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorder, which provided 36 flights worth of parametric data and two hours of audio. Examination of the recovered wreckage, including the wing spar, engine, and flight control cables, showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction that would have prevented normal operation. The engine was separated from the airframe upon impact, and the propeller blades showed evidence of separation at the hub.
Findings
- The pilot's preoccupation with programming the FMS led to a failure to monitor the aircraft's airspeed and pitch.
- The aircraft entered an aerodynamic stall due to the decay in airspeed and increase in pitch.
- The pilot likely experienced spatial disorientation following the stall, which prevented him from regaining control of the aircraft.
- The presence of IMC and the sudden disengagement of the autopilot contributed to the loss of control.
- Inadequate preflight planning and inadequate inflight monitoring of flight parameters were key factors in the accident.