N6107Z

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 2, 2003, at 1847 central standard time, a Commander Aircraft 114TC, N6107Z, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain at the Hutchinson Municipal Airport (HUT), Hutchinson, Kansas. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The business flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 while on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Wiley Post Airport (PWA), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at 1737.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC) transcripts, the pilot had been cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 13 at HUT. The pilot had flown the approach and subsequently reported going missed approach after passing the middle marker. The following is a summary of the voice communications between the pilot of the accident airplane (N6107Z), Wichita Approach Control (ICT-Approach), and Hutchinson Control Tower (HUT-Tower):

At 1814:10 (hhmm:ss), N6107Z contacted ICT-Approach and was told to expect the ILS runway 13 approach into HUT. At 1815:42, ICT-Approach relayed the current weather conditions at HUT to N6107Z:

Wind 040 degrees true at 07 knots; 1-1/4 statute mile (sm) visibility with mist; overcast ceiling at 200 feet above ground (agl); temperature 6 degrees Celsius; dew point 6 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.03 inches-of-mercury. Wind direction was variable between 010 and 080 degrees true.

At 1821:45, ICT-Approach cleared N6107Z from 8,000 feet mean sea level (msl) to 5,000 feet msl. At 1824:48, ICT-Approach cleared N6107Z from 5,000 to 4,000 feet msl. At 1827:28, ICT-Approach cleared N6107Z to fly direct to Hutchinson VHF Omni-Directional Range (HUT VOR), and after passing the VOR to fly 310 degrees magnetic. ICT-Approach also told N6107Z to expect vectors for the final approach course. At 1833:31, ICT-Approach issued missed approach instructions to N6107Z. The missed approach instructions were to fly runway heading and climb to maintain 4,000 feet msl.

Between 1835:15 and 1839:43, ICT-Approach provided vectors for the final approach course. At 1839:43, ICT-Approach cleared N6107Z to maintain at or above 3,200 feet msl until established inbound on the localizer. ICT-Approach also cleared N6107Z for the ILS runway 13 approach. At 1840:44, N6107Z reported being established inbound on the localizer. ICT-Approach terminated radar service and instructed N6107Z to contact HUT-Tower.

At 1840:59, N6107Z reported being outside the final approach fix (SALTT). HUT-Tower cleared N6107Z to land on runway 13 and reported the current surface winds. HUT-Tower also told N6107Z to report either the missed approach or being on the runway. At 1841:58, HUT-Tower told N6107Z the field visibility was 1-1/4 statute miles and there was an overcast ceiling of 200 feet agl.

At 1843:34, N6107Z reported being at SALTT and was inbound on the ILS runway 13 final approach. At 1845:49, N6107Z reported missed approach and HUT-Tower told N6107Z to fly runway heading and climb to maintain 4,000 feet msl. At 1846:01, N6107Z acknowledged the missed approach clearance. At 1846:06, HUT-Tower asked N6107Z if he saw any runway lights during the approach. N6107Z replied, "N6107Z right over the runway now, I just got them too late." At 1846:14, HUT-Tower told N6107Z to contact ICT-Approach and N6107Z acknowledged the frequency change.

At 1846:33, N6107Z reported being on the missed approach to ICT-Approach. At 1846:39, ICT-Approach asked N6107Z what his intentions were. N6107Z replied, "yeah what's the weather look like in Wichita right now." At 1846:46, ICT-Approach reported, "Wichita was showing two thousand seven hundred overcast, visibility is ten miles, winds are uh zero three zero at eight and the altimeter [setting] is three zero zero zero."

There were no additional communications between ATC and N6107Z.

Aircraft radar track data was obtained from FAA ATC. The data indicated there was a single aircraft transmitting a discrete beacon code near the accident location at the time of the accident. The aircraft radar track data was plotted on an ILS runway 13 approach chart, and the plotted track traced back along the final approach course.

According to the supplied data, the first radar return for the accident aircraft was recorded at 1825:51. The plotted track showed the airplane being vectored on a right downwind for the ILS runway 13 approach. At 1838:10, the airplane turned from a northwesterly downwind to a northeasterly heading. At 1839:22, the airplane began a right turn and was established on the localizer centerline at 1842:11, approximately 2.5 nm from the final approach fix (SALTT). The airplane passed the outer marker at approximately 1843:47, at 2,800 feet msl. The airplane passed the middle marker at approximately 1845:48, at 1,600 feet msl (75 feet agl). The plotted track continued along the runway heading until 1846:24, when the airplane entered a climbing left turn. The aircraft's climbing left turn reached a maximum altitude of 2,000 feet msl (460 feet agl) before the airplane entered a descending left turn. The aircraft's last recorded radar return was at 1847:24, at 1,700 feet msl (160 feet agl).

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. The FAA issued the private pilot certificate on February 26, 2002. FAA records indicate his last medical examination was completed on January 29, 2003, when he was issued a third-class medical certificate with the following restriction: "Must wear corrective lenses, possess glasses for near/intermediate vision."

According to the pilot's flight logbook, he had a total flight time of 886.7 hours, all of which were in single-engine land airplanes. The pilot had logged 829.8 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC). The pilot's first flight in the accident airplane was on January 7, 2000, and he subsequently accumulated 752.9 hours in the Commander Aircraft 114TC. He had flown 76.0 hours during the previous 3 months, all of which were in the accident airplane. He had flown 24.8 hours during the previous month. The last flight logbook entry was dated October 31, 2003.

The pilot's last flight review, as required by 14 CFR Part 61.56, was completed on February 26, 2002, after the successful completion of his instrument rating checkride.

The pilot had logged 23.9 flight hours in actual IMC and 43.9 hours of simulated instrument conditions. Since the issuance of his instrument rating on February 26, 2002, he had accumulated 21.3 hours of flight time in actual IMC and no additional simulated time.

During the previous 6 months the pilot logged 7.1 hours in IMC and no simulated time. He logged 5 instrument approaches during the previous 6 months. However, only two approaches occurred during flights that included IMC conditions and both were VOR approaches. The pilot had not completed an instrument proficiency check, as required by 14 CFR Part 61.57(d).

The pilot had logged 49.9 flight hours during night conditions. During the previous 90 days he logged 9.0 hours at night and 4.7 hours during the prior 30 days.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane was a Commander Aircraft 114TC, serial number 20007. The 114TC is a low-wing airplane equipped with a retractable tricycle landing gear, electrically actuated wing flaps, and a single reciprocating engine. The fuselage and empennage are of an all-metal semimonocoque design. The wings are of an all-metal design and are fully cantilevered. The airplane is equipped with dual controls and two cockpit seats. The airplane can accommodate four occupants and has a certified maximum takeoff weight of 3,305 lbs.

The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on December 26, 1995, and was certified as a normal category airplane. The accident airplane had accumulated a total flight time of 2,333.5 hours since new.

The last annual inspection was completed on January 27, 2003, and the airplane had accumulated 182.9 hours since the inspection. The last airframe maintenance was performed on August 14, 2003, at 2,272.7 hours total time. The maintenance included an adjustment of the cowl flap indicator switch, the repair of the aft closeout panel, and servicing the breathing-oxygen tank. The airplane had accumulated 60.8 hours since the last maintenance was completed. According to the aircraft maintenance logbooks, all applicable FAA Airworthiness Directives had been complied with as of the last annual inspection.

The engine was a 270 horsepower Lycoming TIO-540-AG1A, serial number L-9631-61A. The engine had accumulated 664.5 hours since the last overhaul, which was completed on February 28, 2000. The last engine inspection was performed on October 16, 2003, and the engine had accumulated 17.1 hours since the inspection. The last engine inspection included an oil change, oil filter replacement, cleaning of the induction air filter, engine wash, and a leak check.

The propeller was a three-bladed McCauley B3D32C419-C, serial number 951158.

The altimeter, static system, automatic pressure altitude reporting equipment and ATC transponder were last tested/certified on December 20, 2001. The most current VOR system check was completed on September 21, 2003.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Hutchinson Municipal Airport is equipped with an Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS). The following weather conditions were reported prior to and after the time of the accident:

At 1751: Wind 040 degrees true at 7 knots; 1-1/4 sm visibility with mist; overcast ceiling of 200 feet above ground level (agl); temperature 6 degrees Celsius; dew point 6 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.03 inches-of-mercury; wind direction variable between 010 and...