N98HA

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 10, 2008, about 2140 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine Beech 95-B55 airplane, N98HA, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing in mountainous, tree-covered terrain, about 28 miles north of Sitka, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as an instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country personal flight under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and the sole passenger were killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at Sitka, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The accident flight originated at the Gustavus Airport, Gustavus, Alaska, about 2045.

During a review of the accident airplane's instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) discovered that before arriving in Gustavus, the flight had departed Bellingham, Washington, about 1639 pacific daylight time (1539 Alaska daylight time). The purpose of the stop in Gustavus was to purchase fuel before continuing to Skagway, Alaska, the flight's destination for that day.

On August 11, about 0800, the NTSB IIC reviewed the air traffic control radio communication recordings maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The recordings revealed that about 2005 the pilot contacted the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) specialist on duty, and reported that he was about 14 miles southeast of Gustavus, at 6,000 feet msl. The pilot requested the GPS "Y" approach to runway 29 at Gustavus, and his request was granted. About 2020, the pilot contacted the ARTCC specialist to report that he had landed at Gustavus, and that he wanted to cancel his IFR flight plan.

About 2051, the pilot again contacted the ARTCC specialist to report that he had departed the Gustavus Airport, and said, in part: "Yeah, uh, we went into Gustavus but, uh, there [was] no one there, all the things are locked, and we thought we would make a quick run to Sitka. We’re going to Sisters now; I hope we have enough fuel.” When the ARTCC specialist asked the pilot how much fuel he had remaining, and he reported that he had "about an hour." The Sitka Airport is about 83 miles south-southeast of Gustavus.

About 2055, the ARTCC specialist asked the pilot if he would like an approach to the Juneau Airport, which is about 36 miles east of the Gustavus Airport. The pilot responded by saying: “…uhhh, umm, I don’t think so, uh…we haven’t done one, but I think Sitka would probably be ok, wouldn’t it?” The ARTCC specialist said, in part: “…at the time Juneau weather is better than Sitka.” The pilot responded and requested an approach to the Juneau Airport. The ARTCC specialist then asked the pilot what his altitude was, and at the same time instructed him to maintain VFR weather conditions. The pilot responded by saying: “We’re at 6,500 and we’re pretty well socked in.” The ARTCC specialist then said, in part:”…climb and maintain 10,000 [feet], and can you maintain VFR through 10,000 [feet]?” The pilot said, in part: “…I don’t know (unintelligible) maintain VFR at 10,000 [feet], and (unintelligible).”

About 2056, the ARTCC specialist said, in part: “N98HA, are you sure you don’t want to return to Gustavus with the weather like it is?” The pilot responded by saying: “I told you there’s no one there at Gustavus, the place is locked, and we can’t go, no phone, nothing.”

As the flight neared Juneau, while operating in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the ARTCC specialist issued the pilot a clearance for the Localizer-Type Directional Aid (LDA) approach to Runway 08. However, during the initial stages of the approach, the pilot appeared to be unsure about the LDA approach procedures, and he was unable to join the localizer for Runway 08. The ARTCC specialist instructed the pilot to discontinue the approach, and climb the airplane. The ARTCC specialist then asked the pilot if he wanted to try another approach to Juneau, return to Gustavus, or continue to Sitka. The pilot said, in part: “No, why don’t we just go to Sitka.” The ARTCC specialist then said: “N98HA, the weather is worse at Sitka, and you will have to shoot an LDA approach, can you do that? The pilot said: “At Sitka? Yeah, we ought to be able to do that.” The ARTCC specialist then issued the pilot an IFR clearance to Sitka.

About 2113, the ARTCC specialist asked the pilot how much fuel he had remaining, and how many people were on board the airplane. The pilot said, in part: "Ok, there’s two on board, and about an hour and ten minutes of fuel left."

About 2124, the pilot contacted the ARTCC specialist and asked: “…these LDA’s are just like an ILS, isn’t it?” The ARTCC specialist responded by saying, in part: “…affirmative, it just doesn’t have a glide slope.”

As the flight neared Sitka, about 2137, the ARTCC specialist attempted to contact the pilot to request a better estimate of his remaining fuel, and initially there was no response. About 2138, the pilot's garbled response was: "Looks like we're having trouble with our left engine." No further communications were received from the accident airplane, and the airplane did not arrive at Sitka. The airplane was officially reported overdue at 2202.

After being notified of an overdue airplane, and after learning about reports of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal along the accident pilot's anticipated flight route, search and rescue personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, began a search for the missing airplane. About 2330, the crew of a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter located the airplane's wreckage in an area of mountainous, tree-covered terrain. A rescue swimmer was lowered to the accident site, and confirmed that the airplane's occupants were dead.

The accident occurred during the hours of sunset, which began at 2052. Civil twilight for Sitka ended at 2139, or 1 minute before the accident occurred.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on August 11, a pilot-rated Alaska State Trooper that was dispatched to the accident site reported that when he arrived on scene the airplane's fuel tanks were empty, and there was no smell of fuel around the accident site.

According to a family member of the pilot, the accident airplane departed from Marietta, Georgia on August 9, en route to Alaska. The family member said that the purpose of the trip was to travel to various sites throughout Alaska, over a 3 week time period. Documents recovered from inside the accident airplane, including fuel receipts and the pilot’s written itinerary, revealed that the route of flight, after departing from Marietta, was Great Bend, Kansas; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Boise, Idaho, then Bellingham, Washington.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane single engine sea, instrument airplane, glider, and multiengine land ratings. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued January 14, 2008, which contained the limitations that he must wear corrective lenses, and it would not be valid after December 31, 2008.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on August 13, a representative from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regional flight surgeon's office, Alaska Region, reported that the accident pilot's third-class medical certificate, issued on January 14, 2008, had been denied by the FAA’s Aeromedical Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, effective February 21, 2008, due to a history of coronary heart disease.

A review of the FAA’s airmen records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center in Oklahoma City revealed that on February 21, 2008, the FAA sent the pilot a certified letter, stating in part, that he did “not meet the medical standards … because of your history of coronary heart disease that has required treatment (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty/intracoronary stent placement). … We have further considered your eligibility for a special issue medical certificate … and have been unable to find you qualified due to your history of atrial fibrillation with excessive pauses for aeromedical certification purposes.”

No personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from a review of the FAA’s airmen records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center in Oklahoma City. On the pilot's application for medical certificate, dated January 14, 2008, he indicated that his total aeronautical experience consisted of 7,500 flight hours, of which 105 were logged during the previous 6 months.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

At the time of the accident the airplane had a total time in service of 3,617.0 flight hours. A review of the maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection of the airframe and engine was on November 1, 2007, about 40 hours before the accident.

The airplane was equipped with two Teledyne Continental Motors IO-470-L21-B engines, each rated at 230 horsepower. Both engines were overhauled on February 20, 1997, about 1,028 hours before the accident.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest official weather observation station was Sitka, 28 miles south-southeast of the accident site. On August 10, at 2153, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind 090 degrees at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 2,500 feet overcast; temperature, 55 degrees F; dew point, 50 degrees F; altimeter, 30.01 inHg.

The winds aloft forecast along the accident airplane’s route of flight, between 1300 and 2200 on August 10, was reporting, in part:

Seattle, Washington 9,000 feet: 280 degrees (true) at 21 knots

12,000 feet: 280 degrees (true) at 23 knots

Annette Island, Alaska 9,000 feet: Light and variable

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