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August 31, 2013 - Joseph Skilken, his wife
Karen, their two daughters, ages 9 and 12, along
with his parents-in-law departed from Port
Columbus International Airport (KCMH) on May 31
at about 9:50 AM for Colorado Springs in their
Cessna 441 airplane, N383SS. The family was to
celebrate Karen’s 50th birthday however, what
was to be a celebration tuned into a nightmare
for the family.
At about 12 PM, Joseph, 63, a multiengine
instrument rated pilot, began his descent from
15,000 feet for Colorado Springs Airport (KCOS).
Joseph began to experience some light turbulence
when all of a sudden a section of the tail fell
off the aircraft and it began a violent yawing
oscillation.
The oscillation was so severe the fluid from the
Cessna’s toilet exploded throughout the cabin
and the onboard tables came out of their holders
and snapped off. Objects were being tossed
throughout the cabin. "It was like being in a
clothes dryer on the tumble setting,” said
Joseph. Karen said, "I truly thought we would
die."
Joseph contacted ATC and made an emergency
landing. The aircraft landed hard, Karen along
with the other passengers received minor
injuries. As a result of the hard landing the
aircraft received damage to the nose wheel,
airframe, left propeller, engine damage, damage
to the interior components and other damage.
The day before the flight, Joseph had gone to
Oxford County Regional Airport to Oxford
Aviation to go up in his plane for a flight test
after his airplane had been freshly painted. It
was not a pleasant experience for Joseph as he
had taken his plane in for a new paint job back
in early May and the company had promised him
the aircraft would be ready on May 29.
When Joseph walked into the hanger where his
aircraft was it was in pieces “all over the
place”. Joseph reported at about 5PM the
aircraft was put together and he went up for a
test fight with one of Oxford Aviation’s
mechanics. To Joseph everything appeared to be
ok. He flew his Cessna 441 back home.
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