N518DM

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 31, 1999, about 0825 eastern daylight time, a Beech Model 65-A90, N518DM, operated by the Parahawks Skydiving Center, impacted the ground during climbout from runway 22 at the Marine City Airport (76G), Marine City, Michigan. (All times in this report are eastern daylight time, based on a 24-hour clock.) The pilot and nine parachutists who were on board received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The local skydiving flight, which was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, was not on a flight plan, and visual meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident.

During post accident interviews, a witness, who normally refueled the airplane during skydiving operations, reported that he saw the pilot about 0745 to 0800 near the hangar, and that the pilot looked fine and alert. He reported that before the airplane taxied for departure, he observed both engines running and rechecked the auxiliary power unit door to verify that it was closed. He stated that he then gave the pilot a thumbs-up signal and that the pilot returned the thumbs-up signal and smiled. The witness reported that the airplane seemed normal as he watched it taxi for takeoff.

Another witness, a parachutist who was standing near the windsock at the skydiving sandpit which is located north of runway 22, stated that he observed the airplane during its takeoff roll and climb. He reported seeing someone sitting in the copilot seat when the airplane was halfway down the runway. He stated that after the airplane departed the runway, it turned to the right and went behind trees. The witness stated that he then saw the airplane climb above the trees flying wings level for about 3 seconds. He reported that the airplane then entered a steep left bank about 200 to 250 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane continued in a steep left bank for about 5 seconds until it impacted the ground. The witness stated that he could see the entire top of the airplane before impact. The witness reported that he had never before seen the pilot turn left during climbout and that it appeared that the pilot was attempting to return to the airport.

Another witness, a parachutist who was standing about 50 yards from runway 22 and due south of the skydiving sandpit, reported that he also saw the airplane during its takeoff roll. He reported that the airplane was traveling about 45 mph when it passed the hangar and that it rotated off runway 22 approximately halfway down the runway. He stated that after rotation, the landing gear came up, the flaps were raised, and the airplane accelerated to about 110 to 120 knots. He reported that the airplane did not climb higher than 10 to 20 feet agl until it passed the end of the runway. At that point, the airplane banked about 15 to 20 degrees to the right, making a turn of about 90 degrees. The witness reported that the airplane then went behind trees. Shortly after, he observed the airplane in a steep left turn that he estimated was 60 degrees angle of bank or greater. He reported that the airplane was running well and that he could see both engines when the airplane was in the left turn. The witness stated that the airplane's altitude was about the height of the powerlines that are located about 1800 feet southwest of the end of the runway (about 100 feet agl) and that the airplane did not fly over the powerlines. He reported that the nose of the airplane went down quickly but that he did not see the airplane impact the ground because his view was obstructed by trees. He reported that it appeared that the pilot intended to turn back to the airport.

Another witness, a homeowner who was standing outside his house about 1/2 mile from the departure end of runway 22 and to the left of the extended runway centerline, reported that he observed the airplane airborne over the runway with its gear retracted. He stated that the airplane accelerated normally, the engines sounded fine, and both propellers were turning. He reported that the airplane cleared the powerlines by 50 to 60 feet and that the airplane's peak altitude was at least 150 to 160 feet agl. He reported that the airplane went into a steep left bank after clearing the powerlines. He further reported that he did not see a wing rock or dip and that the bank angle kept increasing in a continuous fluid motion to about 90 degrees. The witness stated that the airplane made about 120 degrees of heading change in about 3 seconds before the nose went down. He reported that the nose of the airplane dropped at least 60 degrees before impacting the ground. He further reported that he heard the impact and the low explosion, which was followed by fire.

Another witness, a homeowner who observed the airplane from inside his house about 1/4 mile south of the powerlines, reported that he saw the airplane clear the powerlines. He stated that the wings dipped to the right and that the airplane then went into an extreme left bank. He reported that the time of the right wing dip to the time of impact was about 5 to 6 seconds. He further reported that he could see the airplane's belly and the bottom of its wings before impact. The witness stated that he did not see the impact because his view was obstructed by a hedgerow.

The airplane impacted the ground in a grassy field located about 2,000 feet south of the departure end of runway 22.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with the ratings and limitations of airplane multi-engine land, single-engine land, and type ratings for DA-20, Learjet, and DC-9. He held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate dated March 30, 1999.

Since June 1, 1998, the pilot had been employed as a DC-9 pilot by a 14 CFR Part 121 commercial airline and was flying as a DC-9 captain. According to his medical certificate application, the pilot had accumulated about 9,700 total flying hours as of March 30, 1999. The pilot's flight logbooks were not recovered during the course of the investigation.

A witness reported that the pilot had been flying since age 16. The witness stated that the pilot's father had operated a skydiving operation at 76G during the 1970s and 1980s and that the pilot had learned to fly and skydive during that time. The witness further reported that the pilot had performed about 8,000 total skydiving jumps.

The pilot and his mother owned and operated the Parahawks Skydiving Center at 76G and High Adventure II, Inc., which owned the accident airplane. The Parahawks Skydiving Center normally used the service of a contract pilot during skydiving operations. The accident pilot also flew the airplane when needed, and a third pilot was occasionally used during weekend operations.

According to Michigan State Motor Vehicle and court records, the accident pilot was arrested three times for alcohol-related offenses involving a motor vehicle. On October 28, 1991, the pilot was convicted of an Implied Consent Offense resulting from a June 7, 1991, refusal to be tested for alcohol by a law enforcement officer. His driving license was suspended for 6 months. On August 9, 1996, the pilot was convicted of an Operating While Impaired by Liquor offense resulting from an August 31, 1995, arrest. His driving license was suspended for 3 months. On September 11, 1998, the pilot was arrested on a charge of Operating Under the Influence of Liquor. The case had not come to trial at the time of the accident. According to the police report, the pilot was stopped about 0038 for improper lane use (weaving between the lanes of an interstate highway). The pilot failed a sobriety test and a preliminary breath test. A blood alcohol test indicated a reading of .12 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. The arresting officer noted that "[The pilot] was advised that I suspected he was under the influence, and would be requesting him to take some sobriety test. At this point, [the pilot] asked me to just let him go, if I didn't let him go, he would lose his job."

The chief pilot of the Part 121 company by which the pilot was employed reported that the pilot was performing satisfactorily. No record of any disciplinary actions or flight emergencies existed. The chief pilot reported that during the pilot's employment interview in 1998, the pilot revealed that he had one driving while intoxicated (DWI) motor vehicle offense, which occurred about 6 to 7 years before his employment application. The company was unaware of any other alcohol-related offenses. The chief pilot stated that if the pilot had experienced a DWI while working for the company, his employment would have been in jeopardy.

The safety officer for the Parahawks Skydiving Center reported that, before the accident, he was unaware that the pilot had a record of alcohol-related offenses. The Parahawks main pilot reported that he knew that the pilot had one DWI but had not known of another offense. Both the safety officer and the main pilot reported that they learned about the accident pilot's other alcohol-related offenses through newspaper articles written after the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a twin-engine Beech Model 65-A90, serial number LJ-251. The airplane's original registration date was March 8, 1967. The airplane was registered to High Adventure II, Inc., on June 9, 1998. The total estimated time on the airframe was 8,986 hours.

The airplane's maximum gross weight was 9,300 pounds. The contract pilot for Parahawks, who last flew the airplane prior to the accident flight, reported the airplane had 55 gallons of fuel in each nacelle tank and no fuel in the wing tanks when the airplane departed on the accident flight. The parachutes weighed about 25 pounds. The gross weight of the airplane at takeoff was about 8,642 pounds.

The last airframe phase ...