N8933M

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 27, 1994, about 1803 eastern standard time, a Beech 95B55, N8933M, collided with trees and terrain during an uncontrolled descent at Mableton, Georgia about 1.5miles southeast of the Fulton County Airport. The airplane was operated by the owner/pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and instrument flight rules (IFR). Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The private, instrument and multi-engine rated, pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Origination of the flight was Pennridge Airport, Perkasie, Pennsylvania, about 1259, on the same day.

The pilot obtained two pre-flight weather briefings from Altoona Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and Williamsport AFSS at 0906 and 1216, respectively. Information regarding the freezing level, upper level icing, and upper level winds were specifically discussed by the AFSS specialist and the pilot. The airport forecasts for the destination area were for improving conditions to 2500 feet scattered cloud layers, and visibility exceeding seven miles. During the second weather briefing, the AFSS specialist noted that the current weather at Dekalb-Peachtree airport, about 30 miles northwest of Covington, Georgia, the destination, was ceiling, 300 feet overcast, with 1.5 miles visibility. The Atlanta International Airport had an indefinite ceiling, 100 feet obscured, with visibility 1/8 mile. The second specialist went on to note the forecast of improving weather and stated that "I wouldn't count on it if they're still down that low now." According to air traffic control records, the pilot requested additional weather information at 1636 from Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC).

Information obtained from air traffic control indicated that the flight was routine until its arrival in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Upon arrival at the flight planned destination, Covington, Georgia, a VOR-DME approach to the Covington Airport an uncontrolled field, was executed, followed by a missed approach. The pilot requested to proceed to his alternate, Fulton County Airport. Prior to beginning an approach at Fulton County Airport, the pilot had reported that he had about 15-20 minutes of fuel remaining. An instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 8 was attempted. The pilot stated he did not see the runway environment. Following a missed approach, the flight was provided an airport surveillance approach. During the surveillance approach the pilot reported that an engine had quit. The surveillance approach was continued with the pilot never sighting the runway environment. Subsequently, radio and radar contact with the airplane was lost, about 1.5 miles west of the airport. The wreckage was located 1.5 miles, bearing 278 degrees from the airport. All of the wreckage debris was confined to an area approximately within the wingspan of the airplane.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot obtained his private certificate in December 1986. An instrument rating was obtained in January 1992. On his application for the instrument rating he listed 893 total flight hours and 47 instrument flight hours. A multiengine rating was issued to the pilot in December 1993. He listed 1041 total flight hours, and 60 instrument flight hours, on the rating application. He listed four flight hours in the aircraft used for the multiengine flight check. N8933M was registered to the pilot in September 1993. The aircraft log indicated 921 total hours for the airplane in July 1993. The airplane's hour meter reflected 1076.5 hours at the accident site. The last entry in the pilot's log is dated October 25, 1992, and listed 22.1 total multiengine flight hours. Therefore, the pilot's multiengine flight hours are estimated to be 170 (1076.5-921=155.5+22.1=177.6).

The pilot certificate issued to the pilot in December 1993, for the added multiengine rating, stated that the multiengine rating was for visual flight rules only. The designated examiners's report stated that the rating for which tested was "multiengine (private VFR)."

A second class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on April 26, 1993. It contained a limitation that the holder must wear corrective lenses while exercising the privileges of the certificate.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was registered to the pilot. An annual inspection was recorded in the aircraft log and was dated August 16, 1994. The aircraft total time on that date was listed as 5129.4 hours with a tachometer hour meter reading of 1024.2 hours. The left and right engine logbooks indicated an inspection on August 16 and August 18, 1994, respectively. The left engine log listed 963.7 hours since overhaul and the right engine log listed 2693.2 total engine hours. The aircraft records indicated that the propellers were overhauled on November 22, 1988.

An entry in the aircraft log indicated that the altimeter, the static system, the automatic pressure altitude reporting equipment and the transponder were tested in July, 1991. 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.411 requires that each static pressure system, each altimeter instrument, and each automatic pressure altitude reporting system must be inspected within 24 calendar months, preceding the operation of the airplane in controlled airspace under instrument flight rules. Similarly, 14 CFR Part 91.413 requires that the transponder be inspected within the preceding 24 calendar months.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At the time of the accident, and immediately preceding it, aircraft that were executing approaches to Dekalb-Peachtree Airport, about 15 Nmi northeast of the accident site, were missing the approach and landing at Fulton County Airport. The surface weather analysis at Fulton County at 1750 on November 27, 1994 was sky measured 300 feet overcast; visibility 3/4 mile in fog; temperature 47 degrees F.; dew point missing; wind 110 degrees at five knots; and altimeter setting 30.06 In. Hg.

Another pilot, operating a Piper Cherokee, landed at Fulton County Airport after the accident had occurred. He reported that the cloud tops were about 3,000 to 4,000 feet. The cloud layer was solid until just above decision height, about 250 feet above ground level. He first observed the approach strobe lights to identify the runway environment.

AIDS TO NAVIGATION

Several aircraft completed an ILS approach to Fulton County Airport prior to and following N8933M. There were no pilot reports of problems with the localizer or glide slope signals. Additionally, the manager of the Fulton County Air Traffic Control Tower stated that proper operation of the ILS system was verified by airways facilities personnel.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Runway 8 at the Fulton County Airport is equipped with High Intensity Runway Lights and a Medium Intensity Approach Light System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (MALSR). The decision height is 1,078 feet mean sea level, 270 feet above ground level.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane impacted in a wooded lot, adjacent to a residence. One propeller blade from the right propeller was separated from the airplane and located about 15 feet behind the right wing. About three feet of the outboard end of the right wing was separated from the airplane and located about 25 feet to the left rear of the left wing tip. The outboard portion of the left wing tip had pine bark trapped in the folds of chordwise accordion-like damage to the leading edge. A concave shaped indentation was co-located with the chordwise accordion-like damage. The remainder of the airplane lay, upright, within the confines of its fuselage length and wingspan. One tree had freshly broken limbs and was located about 15 feet on a 45 degree angle from the left wing tip leading edge. A second tree was topped, and was located about 25 feet, on a 45 degree angle, from the left wing tip trailing edge. The separated right wing tip was located at the base of this same topped tree.

The nose of the airplane, forward of the windshield, was broken off downward. A crush line was observed in the underside of the fuselage, from the wing spar forward to the nose cone, consistent with a nose down impact of about 15 degrees. The landing gear was extended and partially buried in the soft ground, so that the airplane rested on the fuselage and wings. Flaps were fully extended, by reference to the position of the flap guide rollers in the flap guides. There were small indentations, less than six inches across, in the leading edge of the vertical and right horizontal stabilizers. The left horizontal stabilizer, rudder, and both elevators were undamaged.

The left wing leading edge, forward of the spar, was crushed flat, and deformed as if the wing tip leading edge had been twisted up. The left propeller was broken off, fractured through the engine crankshaft, about two inches forward of the crankcase. The crankshaft had the appearance of the propeller having been bent down. The propeller remained in front of the engine with one blade exposed above the ground and two blades buried. When it was uncovered, one blade was found bent rearward about the mid-span point. Both remaining blades were essentially straight.

About three feet of the right wing tip was separated from the airplane and was found as previously noted. The wing spar was bent aft in a broad arc from the point of separation inboard to the engine nacelle. The right engine was separated from the airframe mounts and was found inverted. One blade was broken out of the propeller hub and found as previously noted. The separated blade was bent and twisted spanwise, toward a low pitch position, about the blade's mid-point. About four inches of the tip of the blade that led the separated blade was bent toward a low pitch position.

A tree was positione...