CEN13FA214

The noninstrument-rated pilot’s improper decision to conduct a flight into known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control.

The noninstrument-rated private pilot departed on a personal flight without a flight plan. According to a designated pilot examiner, the pilot obtained weather information on a computer before the flight. Weather reports indicated that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed before and during the flight at the destination airport. According to the pilot's mother, she talked to him during the flight, told him that fog existed in the area, and asked him to land in another area; the pilot continued the flight without diverting. Search and rescue operations were conducted about 4 hours later when the pilot's mother contacted local authorities due to concern that he had not arrived. The airplane wreckage was located about 15 miles east of the destination airport and exhibited a high-speed, right-wing-low impact with terrain, indicative of a loss of control. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

An autopsy of the pilot was conducted by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office, St. Paul, Minnesota. The cause of death was reported as: Multiple traumatic injuries due to light aircraft crash. The FAA Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was negative for all substances tested. The Chicago Area Forecast issued March 29, 2013 at 0445 with clouds and weather valid until 1700 and outlook valid from 1700-2300 reported: North Dakota Northwestern: overcast – 2,500 feet; tops – 3,500 feet; visibility – 3 statute miles; mist. At 1200, broken – 3,500 feet; broken – 6,000 feet; tops – 16,000 feet; visibility – 3 statute miles; mist. At 1500, broken – 4,500 feet; isolated light rain showers. Outlook – visual flight rules (VFR). Southwestern: scattered – 3,500 feet; broken 12,000; tops – 15,000 feet. Until 0900; visibility - occasional 3 statute miles; mist. At 1500, broken – 12,000; tops – 16,000; isolated light rain showers; outlook – VFR. Northeastern: overcast – 2,500 feet; tops - 3,500 feet; visibility – 3 statute miles, mist. Becoming at 1821, broken 10,000 feet; tops – 16,000 feet. Outlook - VFR. Southeastern: overcast – 2,500; tops – 3,500 feet; visibility – 3 statute miles, mist. At 1500, broken – 3,500 feet; overcast – 10,000; tops – 16,000. Outlook – marginal VFR; moderate rain showers and mist. South Dakota Northwestern: scattered – 12,000 feet; visibility – occasionally 5 statute miles, mist. At 0900, sky clear. At 1600, broken – 12,000 feet, tops – 16,000 feet. Outlook – VFR. Southwestern: scattered – 14,000, scattered cirrus. At 1500, scattered – 10,000 feet. Outlook - VFR. Northeastern: broken – 6,000 feet; tops – 11,000; visibility – 3 statute miles, mist. At 1000, sky clear. Outlook – VFR. At 1900, marginal VFR, mist. Southeastern: scattered – 10,000 feet. Until 1000, visibility – occasional 3 statute miles, mist. At 1200, scattered cirrus. Outlook - VFR. Minnesota Northwestern Extreme West: broken 2000 feet; tops – 2,500 feet; visibility – 3 statute miles, mist. At 1000, scattered – 2,500 feet. Outlook - VFR. Remainder: broken – 3,500 feet; tops – 7,000 feet. At 1000, scattered – 5,000 feet. Outlook - VFR. Northeastern: scattered – 6,000 feet. At 1000, scattered – 4,000 feet. Outlook - VFR. Southwestern Extreme west: broken – 2,000 feet, tops – 4,000 feet; visibility – 3 statute miles, mist. At 1000, broken – 9,000 feet; tops – 12,000. Outlook – VFR. At 2000, marginal VFR, mist. Remainder: broken 6,500 feet; tops 12,000; visibility occasional 3 statute miles, mist. At 0900, broken 9,000. Outlook – VFR. Southeastern: broken – 9,000 feet; tops 12,000. At 1200: broken 6,000 feet. Outlook - VFR. The Hector International Airport (FAR), Fargo, North Dakota, terminal forecast (FT) reports from 0600 indicted instrument flight rules conditions beyond the time of the accident. The FAR report issued at 1142 reported in part: From March 29, 2013, at 0700 to March 30, 2012, at 1100: wind 340 degrees at 3 knots; visibility ¼ mile; fog; vertical visibility 100 feet. Temporarily from 1200 to 1600: visibility 1 statute mile; mist; overcast – 400 feet above ground level. From 1600: wind variable at 3 knots; mist; overcast – 300 feet… The FAR FT issued at 1009 reported in part: From March 29, 2013 at 1000 to March 30, 2012 at 0700: wind from 340 degrees at 3 knots; visibility – 3 statute miles; mist; overcast 400 feet above ground level. From 1200: wind variable at 3 knots; visibility – 4 statute miles; mist; overcast 800 feet above ground level… The JKJ automated surface observing system (ASOS) recorded instrument flight rules conditions from the departure time of the flight and beyond the time that the airplane was located. The JKJ ASOS reported: At 0834: wind – 340 degrees at 3 knots; visibility – ¾ statute miles; mist; broken – 100 feet above ground level; temperature – -10 degrees Celsius; dew point - -10 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.21 inches of mercury; remarks – visibility ¼ statute mile At 0915: wind – calm; visibility – ¼ statute mile; freezing fog; overcast – 200 feet above ground level; temperature - -7 degrees Celsius; dew point - -7 degrees Celsius The 1979 Cessna 152, serial number 15283850, was registered to Superior Flying Services LLC on May 29, 2012. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C, serial number L-1729915, engine. Logbook entries dated November 29, 2012, stated that the airplane and engine underwent an annual inspection at tachometer time of 8,460.2. Logbook entries dated March 28, 2013, stated that the airplane and engine received a 100-hour inspection at a tachometer time of 8,559.1. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating issued November 8, 2012. He passed his Airman Knowledge Test with a score of 88 on his first attempt. The subject area knowledge codes for questions he answered incorrectly were: PLT012: Calculate aircraft performance – time/speed/distance/course/fuel/wind PLT019: Calculate pressure altitude PLT099: Recall aeromedical factors – scanning procedures PLT147: Recall airport operations – visual glideslope indicators PLT163: Recall airspace requirements – visibility/cloud clearance PLT165: Recall altimeter – effect of temperature changes PLT301: Recall inversion layer – characteristics On November 12, 2012, the pilot passed the test for his pilot certificate and rating on his first attempt. The test was administered by the DPE, who talked to the pilot on the day of the accident. The test duration was reported on the application for the certificate and rating as 1.8 hours of ground and 1.2 hours of flight. The pilot reported on the application a total time of 57.5 hours, 46.7 hours if instruction received, 10.8 hours of pilot-in-command (PIC), 7.8 hours of cross county instruction received, and 5.7 hours of cross country PIC. Pilot logbook entries indicate that there were only two flights, dated December 23, 2012, and February 24, 2012, after the pilot was issued his pilot certificate. The December 23, 2012, flight was in a Cessna 152, N24242, from SUW to XVG to JKJ to SUW and was 4.4 hours in duration. The February 24, 2012, flight was in a Cessna 172, no registration number was entered, from SUW to SUW and was 1.2 hours in duration. As of February 24, 2012, the pilot accumulated a total flight time of about 63.6 hours. The owner of Superior Aviation LLC, stated that the pilot received his training from the previous owner of Superior Aviation LLC. The owner stated that the pilot received a private pilot certificate during the previous summer and estimated that the pilot had a total flight time of about 70-80 hours. There was no FAA record of previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement actions involving the pilot. The airplane wreckage path was approximately oriented on a 050 degree heading and was 267 feet in length. The GPS coordinates of the fuselage was 046 degrees 48.761 minutes North and 096 degrees 17. 113 minutes West, and the GPS elevation was 1,227 feet. The fuselage was in an upright position near the northeastern edge of the wreckage path and oriented on a tail to nose magnetic heading of about 030 degrees. The southwestern edge of the wreckage path contained the airplane's right wing tip. The engine cowling and airplane surfaces did not exhibit evidence of fire, soot, or oil. Examination of the flight control system confirmed flight control continuity from the control surfaces to cockpit controls. The flaps were in the retracted position. The wing fuel caps were in place and secured on each wing. The fuel selector was in the "both" position. The right and left wing fuel tanks contained a liquid consistent with 100 low lead (100LL) aviation fuel that was i