Narrative:
Citation N22HP departed Greater Rockford Airport (RFD) at 08:43 CDT on a flight to Dillon, MT (DLN). At 09:52 MDT, the pilot indicated that he was level at FL380. At 10:10:30, he stated that he was beginning a descent to FL240. At 10:30:59, a controller cleared the pilot to descend to 13,000 feet, and then cleared him for the VOR approach to the Dillon Airport. The last transmission from the pilot occurred at 10:33:54. He acknowledged cancellation of radar service and an instruction to switch to the airport advisory frequency.
At that time, the airplane was at a mode C reported altitude of 14,000 feet. The airplane maintained a steady descent rate for the next minute and leveled off at 13,000 feet. About 2 1/2 minutes later, the airplane began a turn to the right to head outbound for the procedure turn on the approach and descended to 12,900 feet. The approach procedure specified a minimum altitude of 8,200 feet in the procedure turn. The airplane lost 1,600 feet in the next 10 seconds, and this was the last radar contact. A witness saw an airplane below the cloud bases that was turning to the right with a nose low pitch attitude of about 75 to 80 degrees. It made six to seven turns before it disappeared from sight behind terrain, and the radius of the turn got tighter as the airplane descended.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons."
Loss of control
» NTSB id LAX07FA150
KDLN 031653Z AUTO 23016KT 10SM FEW017 SCT030 OVC039 04/02 A2965 RMK AO2 SLP026 T00390017=
wind 230 degrees at 16 kts, visibility 10 miles, 0-2 oktas cloud at 1700ft, 3-4 oktas cloud at 3000ft, 8 oktas overcast cloud at 3900ft, temperature 4C, dewpoint 2C, QNH 29.65in
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 3 May 2007 |
| Time: | 10:37 |
| Type: |  Cessna S550 Citation S/II |
| Operator: | Hamilton Ranches Inc. |
| Registration: | N22HP |
| MSN: | S550-0103 |
| First flight: | 1986 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 10526 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4B |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Dillon Airport, MT (DLN) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Rockford-Greater Rockford Airport, IL (RFD/KRFD), United States of America |
| Dillon Airport, MT (DLN/KDLN), United States of America |
Citation N22HP departed Greater Rockford Airport (RFD) at 08:43 CDT on a flight to Dillon, MT (DLN). At 09:52 MDT, the pilot indicated that he was level at FL380. At 10:10:30, he stated that he was beginning a descent to FL240. At 10:30:59, a controller cleared the pilot to descend to 13,000 feet, and then cleared him for the VOR approach to the Dillon Airport. The last transmission from the pilot occurred at 10:33:54. He acknowledged cancellation of radar service and an instruction to switch to the airport advisory frequency.
At that time, the airplane was at a mode C reported altitude of 14,000 feet. The airplane maintained a steady descent rate for the next minute and leveled off at 13,000 feet. About 2 1/2 minutes later, the airplane began a turn to the right to head outbound for the procedure turn on the approach and descended to 12,900 feet. The approach procedure specified a minimum altitude of 8,200 feet in the procedure turn. The airplane lost 1,600 feet in the next 10 seconds, and this was the last radar contact. A witness saw an airplane below the cloud bases that was turning to the right with a nose low pitch attitude of about 75 to 80 degrees. It made six to seven turns before it disappeared from sight behind terrain, and the radius of the turn got tighter as the airplane descended.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Cause undetermined Loss of control
Sources:
» Jet crashes near Dillon, 2 killed (Billings Gazette, 4-5-2007)» NTSB id LAX07FA150
METAR Weather report:
16:53 UTC / 10:53 local time:KDLN 031653Z AUTO 23016KT 10SM FEW017 SCT030 OVC039 04/02 A2965 RMK AO2 SLP026 T00390017=
wind 230 degrees at 16 kts, visibility 10 miles, 0-2 oktas cloud at 1700ft, 3-4 oktas cloud at 3000ft, 8 oktas overcast cloud at 3900ft, temperature 4C, dewpoint 2C, QNH 29.65in
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Rockford-Greater Rockford Airport, IL to Dillon Airport, MT as the crow flies is 1895 km (1184 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Rockford-Greater Rockford Airport, IL to Dillon Airport, MT as the crow flies is 1895 km (1184 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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