N727RT

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 2, 1998, at 1805 mountain standard time, a Cessna T303, N727RT, operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight, collided with the terrain near Midvale, Idaho. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by a post-crash fire. The airline transport pilot and his five passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from Boise, Idaho, about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

It was reported that the purpose of the flight was a local sightseeing flight for the passengers.

A witness, who was approximately four miles east of the accident site, reported that he was outside when he first heard the airplane. The witness stated that he didn't see the airplane at first and indicated that the sound faded as if it was going behind a hill. The witness stated that the sky was clear over him with a few storm clouds along the mountain range. When the sound of the airplane came back, the witness could see that the airplane was climbing at a ten to 15 degree angle to the north. The witness stated that the elevation of the airplane was "high" and the speed appeared "fast." The airplane then made a wide shallow left turn back to the east, then it turned to the south and appeared to be descending at a slight angle. The witness stated that the engines were under power. The witness stated that the descent angle then started to gradually increase and eventually the airplane came straight down and started to spin. The witness stated that he could still hear the engines and saw a blinking light before he lost sight of the airplane behind the rolling terrain. The witness stated that the nose down attitude never changed up to the time that he lost sight of the aircraft.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

At the time of the accident, the pilot held airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates, and was rated in single-engine land, multi-engine land and helicopter. The pilot's flight logbook indicated that a total flight time of approximately 7,743 hours had been accumulated in all aircraft, with 319 hours in the Cessna T303. Approximately 6,330 hours were in rotorcraft. The pilot's logbook indicates that flight time was logged in blocks. The last entry identified as "Jan" indicated a blocked time of 34.8 hours in the Cessna T303. The departure and arrival information indicated local flights in the Boise area.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The flight departed from Boise at 1727. The 1656, surface observation for Boise, reported the wind from 130 degrees at 12 knots. Visibility was 10 miles. The sky was scattered clouds at 3,800 feet and overcast at 9,500 feet. The temperature was 46 degrees. At 1756, the wind was from 150 degrees and the sky condition was overcast at 10,000 feet. Light rain was not reported until 2136.

At 1753, the Ontario Airport, Ontario, Oregon, located approximately 35 miles southwest of the accident site was reporting the weather as the wind from 130 degrees at 13 knots. Visibility was 10 miles. The sky was broken clouds at 4,800 feet and 10,000 feet. The temperature was 45 degrees. At 1840, the wind was from 190 degrees at 17 knots. Visibility was 9 miles. The sky conditions were a few clouds at 2,400 feet, broken at 4,800 feet and overcast at 5,500 feet. Light rain was falling.

The weather RADAR for six minutes prior to the accident, and one minute prior to the accident, indicates that light precipitation was moving into the area from the west, with moderate precipitation to the southwest. There was no precipitation reported over the accident site or to the east of the accident site.

The witness located approximately four miles east of the accident site reported that the sky was clear over his position and where he observed the aircraft just prior to the accident. The witness reported some clouds over the mountain range further west of the accident site.

An AIRMET for the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Utah indicated occasional light to moderate rime icing between the freezing level and 18,000 feet. The freezing level was at 6,000 feet northwest, sloping to between 8,000 feet and 9,000 feet. The conditions were spreading slowly southeast and continuing beyond 2000 through March 3, 1998 at 0200.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was found in a gully surrounded by rolling terrain. The terrain elevation at the accident site is 3,940 feet. The surrounding terrain was sparsely covered with grass and shrub brush as high as four feet. At the time of the accident, the ground was dry; however, that evening, rain followed by snow covered the area. Approximately three feet of snow covered the wreckage. A post-crash fire had consumed the fuselage and the inboard section of the wings. The fire was confined to the wreckage and did not spread to the surrounding vegetation.

The aircraft was positioned flat on its belly with a majority of the forward section of the airplane on the uphill side of the gully. The nose of the airplane was aligned on a magnetic heading of 260 degrees. The post-crash fire completely destroyed the cabin and passenger compartment. Ground impact signatures indicate that the aircraft collided with the approximate 30 degree terrain in a slight nose down attitude. A ground disturbance crater and broken branches of brush were found approximately 20 feet uphill, and to the south of the wreckage. Approximately ten feet from this disturbance, the left propeller assembly with all three propeller blades attached was located. It appeared that the left wing contacted the surface in this area. The wreckage then slid downhill to the right to its final resting point. While the fuselage and wings were upright, the empennage was noted to be twisted to the right and positioned inverted. The outboard tip of the right side elevator was bent downward approximately 80 degrees, jamming the movement of the elevator. The right side stabilizer remained attached at the root and displayed outboard creasing to the skin and crushing damage at the tip where the elevator was pushed inboard. The right side elevator trim remained in place with no damage noted. The trim was determined to be 15 degrees up. The vertical stabilizer, with rudder attached, remained intact. The top leading edge of the vertical stabilizer displayed minor impact damage. The rudder trim tab remained attached to its respective hinges. The rudder trim position could not be determined due to impact damage that pulled the cables and compromised an accurate position reading. The left side horizontal stabilizer remained attached at the root. The left side elevator remained attached at its respective hinges. The stabilizer was bent downward approximately 10 degrees starting about four feet from the root. The bottom surface of the empennage, that was not destroyed by the fire, was noted to be crushed upward. The rudder and elevator control stops were intact with no damage noted. The control cables for the rudder, elevator, and trim tabs remained attached to their respective rearward linkage. The cables were traced forward through the empennage and were twisted about three feet from the rear end. The remaining cables forward of this position were embedded in the burned and melted structure. Exposed sections of the cables were traced up to the cockpit area.

The left wing remained attached at the root. The inboard section of the wing, the engine cowling, and outboard of the engine about four feet displayed fire damage. The flap and aileron remained attached to their respective hinges. The flap was retracted. The engine remained enclosed in the cowling. The propeller assembly with all three blades attached had separated from the crankshaft flange and was found uphill of the wreckage. Propeller blade "A" was bent aft about 30 degrees. Minor leading edge nicks and chordwise striations were noted along the blade back. Propeller blade "B" was bent aft about 35 degrees. Minor leading edge nicks and chordwise striations were noted along the blade back. The tip of the blade was curled aft. Propeller blade "C" was straight except for the tip that was curled aft about 80 degrees. Minor leading edge nicks and chordwise polishing were noted along the blade back. The spinner was crushed rearward. The entire length of the leading edge of the wing displayed rearward and upward crushing. The main landing gear was retracted. Control continuity was established to the cockpit area.

The right wing remained attached at the root. The entire length of the wing and the engine cowling displayed fire damage more severe than the left wing. The right wing was positioned on the downhill side. The flap and aileron remained attached to their respective hinges. The aileron was bent downward at about the mid-point. The trim tab remained attached to its respective hinges. The trim tab was estimated to be positioned five degrees up. The flap was retracted. The engine remained enclosed in the cowling. The propeller assembly remained attached to the crankshaft. Two of the three propeller blades remained attached to the assembly. Propeller blade "A" was missing two inches of the tip that had been torn away. The blade displayed rearward bending and chordwise scratches were noted at the outboard end. Propeller blade "B" was straight and displayed minor leading edge damage. Propeller blade "C" was not found. The spinner was crushed rearward. The entire length of the leading edge of the wing displayed rearward and upward crushing. The main landing gear was retracted. Control continuity was established to the cockpit area.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by Frank A. Roberts, M.D. at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, Idaho. The pilot's cause of death was due to extensive total body burns and anter...