Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Craig Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Jacksonville, Florida 32225
Thursday, November 27, 2003 7:52 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was on an instrument flight from Beaumont, Texas, to Craig Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. According to the pilot's children who were passengers on the airplane, the pilot knew the destination airport was forecast to have fog upon their arrival. Air traffic controllers informed the pilot east of Tallahassee, Florida, the fog at his destination airport would not lift for at least an hour and a half. The pilot was informed the weather at Saint Augustine, Florida, was clear skies with two miles visibility. The pilot informed the controller that he would slow the airplane and continue to Craig. The pilot was subsequently cleared to descend and provided vectors for the ILS Runway 32 approach at Craig. The pilot informed the controller that he had the current automatic terminal information service (ATIS) information. The ATIS for Craig reported an indefinite ceiling with a vertical visibility of 100 feet, and one-quarter of a mile visibility. The weather minimums for the ILS runway 32 approach is a decision height of 241 feet, and one-half mile visibility. The controller informed the pilot to contact Craig Tower. The pilot contacted Craig Tower, and was instructed to report passing the final approach fix. The controller informed the pilot that Jacksonville International Airport had a runway visual range of more than 6,000 feet, and that airplanes were making it in. The controller asked the pilot what his intentions were in the event he made a missed approach. The pilot replied, "I got my brother bringing my mom there into your airfield, so I do not know, what do you think is best, what's closest." The controller replied Jacksonville was closer than Saint Augustine. The pilot informed the controller that he would go to Jacksonville in the event of a missed approach. The pilot was cleared to land, and there was no further radio contact between the pilot and Craig Tower. The airplane was located a short time later in a wooded area, 1.8 miles from the airport. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's descent below decision height while performing an ILS approach with low ceilings and fog, resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and the ground. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt the instrument approach with weather below the prescribed minimums.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/27/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 752 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Jacksonville |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32225 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 301809N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812927W |
| Event Location Airport | CRAIG MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CRG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 140 |
| Airport Elevation | 41 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 816 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 320 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCRG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 41 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Indefinite (V V) |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 4 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21490 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SE Reg Com Ctr. |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 27 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 805 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 29 2007 12:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N698X |
| NTSB Number | MIA04FA029 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Swearingen |
| Aircraft Model | SA-26-AT |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | T26-137 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 10030 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 34 |
| Airframe Hours | 8263.2 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George C. Swanson MD LTD |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3710 Doctors Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Port Arthur |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77642 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BMT |
| Departure City | BEAUMONT |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 400 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CRG |
| Destination City | JACKSONVILLE |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 8 2007 5:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | ntsb\labj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 32 |
| Runway Length | 3998 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |