Indianapolis - Lansing

On October 3, 2019 at 08:58 AM, Indianapolis - Lansing experienced a crash involving Socata TBM-700, operated by N700AQ LLC, with the event recorded near Lansing-Capital Region Michigan.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 83.3%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 4, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

On October 3, 2019, about 0858 eastern daylight time, a Socata TBM 700 airplane, N700AQ, collided with terrain while on an instrument approach to Capital Region International Airport (LAN), Lansing, Michigan. The commercial pilot, pilot-rated passenger, and 3 passengers were fatally injured. The remaining passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned by N700AQ LLC and operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. The cross-country business flight departed Indy South Greenwood Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana, at 0800. According to automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data that was transmitted from the airplane to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC), the flight departed runway 19 at HFY and turned northeast toward MAREO intersection where it turned north toward LAN. The airplane subsequently climbed to flight level 190 (19,000 ft pressure altitude). At 0834:24, the flight entered a cruise descent from flight level 190 and was progressively cleared down to 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl). According to ATC communications, the pilot was provided radar vectors to join the localizer for the instrument landing system (ILS) runway 10R approach at LAN. At 0853:03, the approach controller stated, "TBM zero alpha quebec, five miles from FAMLI, turn right, ah, right heading zero seven zero, maintain three thousand until established on the localizer, cleared the ILS one zero right." The pilot responded, "Zero seven zero, ah, we're cleared for the ILS ten right into, ah, Lansing." The ADS-B data indicated the airplane entered a right turn and joined the localizer inbound. At 0854:27, the approach controller stated, "TBM zero alpha quebec, contact Lansing tower one one niner point niner, good day." The pilot responded, "One nineteen ninety, seven hundred alpha quebec." At 0855:29, the airplane crossed over the outer marker (FAMLI) at 2,302 ft msl and continued to descend on the glideslope while established inbound on the localizer toward runway 10R. The airplane had a calculated true airspeed of 168 knots when it crossed over the outer marker. Between 0855:29 and 0857:45, the airplane continued to decelerate from 168 knots to 64 knots. At 0854:36, the pilot established contact with the Lansing tower controller and reported being established on the ILS Runway 10R instrument approach. At 0854:39, the tower controller stated, "Seven zero zero alpha quebec, Lansing, ah, tower, the winds are calm, one zero right cleared to land." The pilot responded, "Cleared to land, ah, ten right, seven hundred alpha quebec." There were no additional communications received from the pilot. At 0858:13, the tower controller attempted to contact the pilot over the tower frequency without success. A passenger was seriously injured and all five other occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N700AQ, MSN 252, year of manufacture 2003.