N920MC

This narrative was modified on July17, 2007.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 30, 2006, at 1829 central standard time (CST), a Cessna model 421B, N920MC, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the ground in Wheeling, Illinois. The airplane was in the landing traffic pattern for runway 34 at the Palwaukee Municipal Airport (PWK) when the accident occurred. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. All four occupants were fatally injured. The airplane had departed from the Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC), Olathe, Kansas, about 1710.

According to communication records, the airplane received an IFR clearance and departed OJC at 1710. The airplane continued its flight to the Chicago area where an ILS runway 16 approach to PWK was executed. The IFR flight plan was cancelled and the airplane was cleared to land on runway 34 at PWK. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground approximately 0.9 miles and 210 degrees from the approach end of runway 34 at PWK.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The individual listed as the pilot in command (PIC) on the aircraft flight plan held a private pilot certificate with single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. He also held a second class medical certificate that was issued on January 24, 2005. The medical certificate included a restriction that the pilot wear corrective lenses.

A review of the PIC's flight logbooks was conducted. Due to several mathematical errors that were discovered, re-totaling of the individual logbook entries was conducted. These totals revealed that the pilot had accumulated a total of 1,284.05 hours total flight experience including; 161.2 hours in single-engine airplanes, 1,052.65 hours in multiengine airplanes, and 70.2 hours in flight simulator devices. The records showed that 32.75 hours were logged in Cessna 421 airplanes. Of those 32.75 hours, 18.2 hours were obtained prior to the pilot having received the instruction required by 14 CFR 61.31 (g) to act as pilot in command of a pressurized airplane. In addition, of the 32.75 hours logged in Cessna 421 airplanes, 27.5 hours were obtained prior to the pilot having received dual instruction in a Cessna 421 airplane. A total of 5.25 hours of logged dual instruction in Cessna 421 airplanes was recorded in the pilot's logbook.

Another occupant held a commercial pilot certificate with single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The single engine rating was limited to private pilot privileges. This pilot also held a third class medical certificate issued on November 10, 2005. The medical certificate included a restriction that the pilot wear corrective lenses for near vision. On his most recent application for his airman medical certificate, he reported having in excess of 2,000 hours of flight experience including 40 hours in the preceding 6 months. The pilot's flight logbooks were not reviewed.

No determination could be made as to which front seat occupant was manipulating the controls prior to or at the time of the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Cessna model 421B, serial number 421B0884. It was a twin-engine, low-wing, retractable gear airplane. The airplane was equipped with wing and tail de-icing boots and propeller anti-ice and was approved for flight into known icing conditions. A review of the airframe logbooks revealed that the airplane had accumulated 5,436.8 hours total time in service as of the most recent annual inspection dated December 28, 2005.

The airplane was powered by 2 Teledyne Continental Motors model GTSIO-520-H engines. Each geared engine was rated to produce 375 horsepower at 2,275 propeller rpm. Each engine maintenance logbook was reviewed. During the review, a mathematical error relating to the accumulated time on the left engine was found. After taking this mathematical error into account it was found that the left engine, serial number 267029-R, had accumulated 1,782.8 hours total time and 455.5 hours since overhaul as of the December 28, 2005, annual inspection. The right engine, serial number 267035-R, had also accumulated 1,782.8 hours total time and 455.5 hours since overhaul as of the December 28, 2005, annual inspection.

According to Cessna Aircraft company records, the airplane was originally purchased from Cessna on March 21, 1975. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration records showed that the airplane was purchased on August 27, 2004, by the hotel company owned by the pilot rated passenger. On May 12, 2005, the airplane registration was transferred to HK Golden Eagle, Inc. The pilot rated passenger was listed on the FAA registration documents as the president/secretary of HK Golden Eagle, Inc.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Depiction Chart for 1900 CST January 30, 2006, depicted a region of IFR conditions over northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Surrounding this area was an area of marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions that covered portions of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan that included the accident site.

The NWS Current Icing Potential for 1800 CST depicted a probability of icing conditions over the Chicago area which ranged from about 10 percent at 3,000 feet, to about 70 percent at 5,000 feet. Several pilot reports of icing were recorded in the hours surrounding the accident time. One aircraft reported moderate rime icing between 2,500 and 7,000 feet about 15 minutes prior to the accident time.

PWK is equipped with an Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) and is augmented by NWS certified weather observers. The surface observations at PWK reported a mixture of freezing precipitation and snow that started at 0649 CST and turned to light snow and mist which continued on and off through 1648 CST. No major accumulation of ice or snow was reported during the period. The observations surrounding the accident time were as follows:

At 1753 CST, wind from 310 degrees at 13 knots, visibility unrestricted at 10 statute miles, ceiling broken at 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL), overcast at 2,800 feet AGL, temperature -1 degrees Celsius (C), dew point temperature -4 degrees C, altimeter setting 29.81 inches of Mercury (Hg). Remarks: automated observation system, sea level pressure 1010.0 hectopascals (hPa), 6-hour precipitation less than 0.01 inches, temperature -0.6 degrees C, dew point -3.9 degrees C, 12-hour maximum temperature 2.8 degrees C, 12-hour minimum temperature -0.6 degrees C, 3-hour pressure tendency risen 1.9-hPa.

At 1836 CST, wind from 310 degrees at 9 knots, visibility unrestricted at 10 statute miles, ceiling overcast at 2,100 feet AGL, temperature -1 degrees C, dew point temperature -4 degrees C, altimeter setting 29.83 inches of Hg. Remarks: automated observation system, aircraft mishap.

COMMUNICATIONS

Records indicate that an individual called the Columbia Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) at 1543, filed an IFR flight plan, and obtained weather information for a flight from OJC to PWK. The caller identified N920MC as the registration number of the airplane when filing the flight plan. The caller also indicated that he was the pilot in command and provided his name and telephone number to the AFSS briefer when he filed the flight plan. The complete transcript of this communication is included in the docket material associated with this report.

At 1710, the accident airplane departed OJC and radio contact with air traffic control was established. Between 1710 and 1826, the airplane continued its flight to PWK while maintaining communications with the appropriate ATC facilities. At 1826, communication between the aircraft and the PWK air traffic control tower (ATCT) was established. The following is a transcript of radio communications between N920MC and the PWK ATCT local control (LC) position:

1826:10 N920MC palwaukee tower this is um zero mike charlie over cutey ah inbound for landing

1826:19 PWK-LC golden eagle nine two zero mike charlie report canceling left traffic for three four

1826:23 N920MC left traffic for three four nine two zero mike charlie

1828:11 PWK-LC zero mike charlie you canceling

1828:13 N920MC i'm canceling i f r zero mike charlie

1828:17 PWK-LC zero mike charlie three four clear to land

1828:19 N920MC clear to land nine two zero mike charlie

1828:57 unknown ah

1829:00 unknown (unintelligible)

No further transmissions were received from the accident airplane.

The transcripts and summaries of transmissions between the various ATC facilities and the accident airplane are included in the docket material associated with this report.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

PWK is a tower controlled airport and has three intersecting paved runways. Runway 16/34 was the longest of the airport's runways at 5,000 feet long by 150 feet wide. Runway 34 was the runway in use at the time of the accident. Runways 6/24 and 12/30 were 3,660 feet by 50 feet, and 4,386 feet by 75 feet, respectively.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane impacted into an industrial storage yard for a local construction company. The coordinates of the accident site were 42 degrees, 5.960 minutes north latitude, 87 degrees, 54.558 minutes west longitude. The storage yard was paved with concrete and was used to house various construction items including trucks, trailers, and concrete forms.

The aircraft was fragmented and burned during the impact, post-impact explosion and fire. Portions of both wings, the fuselage, and the tail surfaces were found at the accident site. The majority of the fuselage was consumed by the post-impact fire and explosion. The outboard half of the right wing had separated from the airplane. The empennage consisted of burned portions of the horizonta...