NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 25, 2014, about 0750 central daylight time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A, N800MK, was substantially damaged following a runway excursion during an attempted go-around at Houston, Mississippi (M44). The commercial-rated pilot, co-pilot, and two passengers were not injured, while one passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was operated by BECS, LLC under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed for corporate flight that originated at Memphis, Tennessee (MEM).

According to the pilot, who was seated in the left, cockpit seat, he was at the controls and was performing a visual approach to runway 21. Just prior to touchdown, while at 90 knots and with approach flaps extended, the right wing "rose severely and tried to put the airplane into a severe left bank." He recalled that the co-pilot called "wind shear" and "go around." As he applied power, the airplane rolled left again, so he retarded the throttles and allowed the airplane to settle into the grass on the left side of runway 21. The airplane struck a ditch, spun around, and came to rest in the grass, upright. A post-crash fire ensued in the left engine area. The pilot and passengers exited the airplane using the main entry door. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.

The co-pilot reported the following. As they turned onto final, he noticed that the wind "picked up" a little by the wind sock. The final approach was stable, and as the pilot began to flare, he noticed the vertical speed indicator "pegged out." The airplane encountered an unexpected wind shear just above the runway. He called out for a go around. The pilot was doing everything he could to maintain control of the airplane. It was a "jarring" effect when they hit the shear. It felt like the wind was trying to lift the tail and cartwheel them over. He felt that the pilot did a good job of keeping the airplane from flipping over. In his 30,000-plus hours flying airplanes, he has never experienced anything quite like what they experienced with this shear. He has instructed on the King Air and does not feel that the pilot could have done anything different to avoid the accident.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 35, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane privileges. He reported 2,105 hours total flight time, including 223 hours in the accident airplane type.

The co-pilot, age 56, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, instrument airplane, and flight instructor privileges. He reported more than 12,000 hours total time and more than 700 hours in the accident airplane type. He reported more than 7,000 hours as a flight instructor.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

M44 did not have weather reporting capability at the time of the accident; the airfield was equipped with a wind sock. The closest station with weather reporting capability was Tupelo, Mississippi, located 26 nautical miles (nm) to the northeast. The surface wind at 0725, 0753, and 0853 was from 260 degrees at 6 knots, 270 degrees at 6 knots, and 280 degrees at 6 knots, respectively. The surface wind Aberdeen/Amory, Mississippi (M40), located 27 nm east of M44, at 0735, 0755, and 0815 was reported as calm. The surface wind at Starkville, Mississippi, located 29 nm south of M44, at 0735, 0755, and 0815 was from 250 degrees at 5 knots, 250 degrees at 5 knots, and 280 degrees at 4 knots, respectively.

The weather conditions at the time of the accident were reviewed by a staff meteorologist with the NTSB. He reported that a review of surface weather stations in the region indicated the wind was generally from the west to southwest, with little variability beyond that, at magnitudes less than 10 knots. A review of both weather radar and geostationary weather satellite data for the accident region did not identify any convective or gust front activity. Forecast discussion products from the National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee, did not identify the presence of, or the conditions conducive to, ground-level wind shear for the accident region at the accident time.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

M44 was an uncontrolled airport with an elevation of 337 feet. There were no published instrument procedures at the time of the accident. Runway 3/21 was 4,400 feet long and 75 feet wide, and was constructed of asphalt. Runway 21 was equipped with a two-light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) set at 3.0 degrees.

FLIGHT RECORDERS

The airplane was equipped with a Fairchild A-100S cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The airplane was not equipped with a flight data recorder.

The CVR was removed by the FAA inspector and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC for examination. Due to quality issues with the recording, the speakers in this summary are referred to as "a pilot" or "the pilots." If a determination could not be made, the voice was referred to as "unidentified." The times referenced in the summary are elapsed time from the beginning of the recording (in minutes and seconds).

At 26:21, a pilot reported the flight was crossing midfield for a left downwind for runway 21 at M44.

At 26:51, one pilot asked the other, "You got it in sight brother?" followed by laughter. A pilot then said to the other, "One of the things you don't want to do" followed by unintelligible discourse. The pilots then confirmed that they could see the tower ahead.

At 27:42, a pilot said, "Alright turn base."

At 27:53, a pilot said, "Power power" and the other pilot responded "Yes sir." A pilot then said "Bring it on down." At 28:37, a pilot said, "Alright bring her on around." At 28:52, a pilot said, "Stop the turn."

At 29:11, an unidentified voice asked, "Can you get it in there?" and a pilot responded "Yeah."

At 29:39, an automated voice reported, "Five hundred."

At 30:02, a pilot was recorded at a higher volume saying, "Heading heading heading." During this time, a mid-level tone, similar to an altitude alert, sounded twice.

At 30:05, a pilot said, "You can't pull that power back." At 30:10, a pilot said, "Alright get it in there." At 30:14, a pilot said, "Come on. Get it. Get it in there."

At 30:17, a pilot was recorded at a high volume, saying, "Go around. Go around." The other pilot responded, "Goin' around." During this time, the engine sound increased.

At 30:21, a pilot asked, "You got it? You got it?" Another pilot said, "No." At 30:25, the sound of a "thunk" was recorded, consistent with an initial impact. The recording ended coincident with the end of the thunk.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The airplane impacted and came to rest in a grass field to the left of runway 21, on airport property. He confirmed substantial damage to both wings and fire damage in the area of the left and right engines.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain a stabilized approach and his subsequent failure to maintain airplane control during the landing flare, which resulted in touchdown off the side of the runway and collision with a ditch.