Teterboro - Tampa
Flight / Schedule
Teterboro - Tampa
Aircraft
Pilatus PC-12Registration
N578DC
MSN
570
Year of Manufacture
2004
Operator
Nicholas Elliott %26 JordanDate
July 5, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Private
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Raphine Virginia
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
37.9374°, -79.2328°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On July 5, 2009 at 10:02 AM, Teterboro - Tampa experienced a crash involving Pilatus PC-12, operated by Nicholas Elliott %26 Jordan, with the event recorded near Raphine Virginia.
The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. While in instrument meteorological conditions flying 800 feet above the airplane’s service ceiling (30,000 feet), with no icing conditions reported, the pilot reported to the air traffic controller that he, “...lost [his] panel.” With the autopilot most likely engaged, the airplane began a right roll about 36 seconds later. The airplane continued in a right roll that increased to 105 degrees, then rolled back to about 70 degrees, before the airplane entered a right descending turn. The airplane continued its descending turn until being lost from radar in the vicinity of the accident site. The airplane impacted in a nose-down attitude in an open field and was significantly fragmented. Postaccident inspection of the flight control system, engine, and propeller revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The flaps and landing gear were retracted and all trim settings were within the normal operating range. Additionally, the airplane was within weight and balance limitations for the flight. The cause of the pilot-reported panel failure could not be determined; however, the possibility of a total electrical failure was eliminated since the pilot maintained radio contact with the air traffic controller. Although the source of the instrumentation failure could not be determined, proper pilot corrective actions, identified in the pilot operating handbook, following the failure most likely would have restored flight information to the pilot’s electronic flight display. Additionally, a standby attitude gyro, compass, and the co-pilot’s electronic flight display units would be available for attitude reference information assuming they were operational.
Aircraft reference details include registration N578DC, MSN 570, year of manufacture 2004.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 37.9374°, -79.2328°.
Fatalities
Total
4
Crew
1
Passengers
3
Other
0
Crash Summary
While in instrument meteorological conditions flying 800 feet above the airplane’s service ceiling (30,000 feet), with no icing conditions reported, the pilot reported to the air traffic controller that he, “...lost [his] panel.” With the autopilot most likely engaged, the airplane began a right roll about 36 seconds later. The airplane continued in a right roll that increased to 105 degrees, then rolled back to about 70 degrees, before the airplane entered a right descending turn. The airplane continued its descending turn until being lost from radar in the vicinity of the accident site. The airplane impacted in a nose-down attitude in an open field and was significantly fragmented. Postaccident inspection of the flight control system, engine, and propeller revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The flaps and landing gear were retracted and all trim settings were within the normal operating range. Additionally, the airplane was within weight and balance limitations for the flight. The cause of the pilot-reported panel failure could not be determined; however, the possibility of a total electrical failure was eliminated since the pilot maintained radio contact with the air traffic controller. Although the source of the instrumentation failure could not be determined, proper pilot corrective actions, identified in the pilot operating handbook, following the failure most likely would have restored flight information to the pilot’s electronic flight display. Additionally, a standby attitude gyro, compass, and the co-pilot’s electronic flight display units would be available for attitude reference information assuming they were operational.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
3
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 4
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Teterboro - Tampa
Operator
Nicholas Elliott %26 JordanFlight Type
Private
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
