by Joseph E. Burnside

On March 27, 2003, at 0113 Eastern time, a Rockwell 690B broke up in flight and was destroyed in the vicinity of Homerville, Ga. Instrument conditions prevailed at the airplane’s cruising altitude; an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Mount Pleasant, Tenn., and was en route to Titusville, Fla.

Communications with ATC were routine until 01:12:10 Eastern time, when a pilot radioed, “Mayday, Mayday.” There was no other known recorded communications with the airplane. …