CEN14FA265

The pilot’s loss of control and subsequent aerodynamic stall due to spatial disorientation in night instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to his cell phone use while maneuvering at low-altitude.

The airplane departed on the local night flight in instrument flight rules conditions with 7 miles visibility and overcast clouds at 300 ft above ground level (agl). Radar data showed that the airplane departed the runway, made one flight around the traffic pattern, and landed 6 minutes later. The airplane departed again to the west, did not remain in the traffic pattern, and reached an altitude of 740 ft agl. The airplane made a left turn, which tightened as the airplane descended about 1,900 ft per minute. The airplane impacted a field and bounced one time before it came to rest upright. An onboard recording device (GoPro) was found near the wreckage and the files were recovered. Based on the available information, it is likely that the GoPro files were recorded on May 30 and May 31, 2014, with the final GoPro file recorded during the 6-minute flight in the traffic pattern. The accident flight was not recorded. The GoPro recordings revealed that the pilot and various passengers were taking self-photographs with their cell phones and, during the night flight, using the camera's flash function during the takeoff roll, initial climb, and flight in the traffic pattern. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the wreckage distribution, which was consistent with a high-speed impact, and the degraded visual reference conditions, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane. The evidence is consistent with an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin into terrain. Based on the evidence of cell phone use during low-altitude maneuvering, including the flight immediately before the accident flight, it is likely that cell phone use during the accident flight distracted the pilot and contributed to the development of spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control. A review of the pilot's logbooks did not show that he met the currency requirements for flight in instrument meteorological conditions or night flight with passengers.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 31, 2014, at 0022 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150K airplane, N6275G, impacted terrain 2 miles west of the Front Range Airport (FTG), near Watkins, Colorado. The instrument rated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a flight plan. The local flight originated from FTG at 0018. The airplane was reported missing about 0330. Front Range Airport personnel located the wreckage about 0730 in a wheat field about 2 miles west-northwest of the airport. There were no witnesses to the accident. The pilot was not in contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC), but the flight path was captured on radar. The airplane impacted the field with the left wing first, bounced one time and came to rest upright. An onboard image recorder (GoPro) was found in the wreckage and its data card was reviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The video revealed that the camera recorded the events prior to the accident; however, the accident sequence was not recorded. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 29, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single engine land, multi-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot also held a ground instructor certificate. The pilot was issued an unrestricted first class medical certificate on August 29, 2013. A review of the pilot's logbooks revealed that he had accumulated about 726 total flight hours, 38 hours in the last 30 days and 4.5 hours in the 24 hours preceding the accident flight. He had 27.1 hours in night conditions and 0.5 hours in simulated IMC in the last 60 days. He accumulated a total of 99 hours in simulated IMC and 14.7 hours in actual IMC. The logbooks did not reveal whether or not he had completed the flight currency requirements to operate in IMC or to carry passengers at night (see ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - 14 CFR Part 61.57 (c) Instrument experience; 14 CFR Part 61.57 (b) Night takeoff and landing experience). AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The Cessna 150K, serial number 15071775, was a single engine, two seat, high wing, fixed gear, utility category airplane, which was manufactured in 1970. The airplane was powered by a 100-horsepower Continental Motors, Inc. O-200-A engine, which drove a two bladed metal McCauley propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on March 4, 2014 at a total aircraft time of 7,030.6 hours and was determined to be in airworthy condition. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION On May 30, 2014, at 2359, a special surface weather observation from the Denver International Airport (DEN), which was located 5 miles northwest of the accident site, reported: wind calm, 2 ½ miles visibility, mist, ceiling overcast at 300 feet, temperature 55° Fahrenheit (F), dew point 54° F, and altimeter setting 30.19 inches of mercury. On May 31, 2014 at 0027, another special surface weather observation was issued for DEN: wind from 160 degrees at 3 knots, 6 miles visibility, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet, broken clouds at 500 feet, temperature 55 degrees F, dew point 54 degrees F, and altimeter setting 30.19 inches of mercury. FLIGHT RECORDER INFORMATION The undamaged GoPro camera was found in the wreckage and the data card was reviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The video recordings revealed that the camera was mounted in the airplane above the instrument panel. The GoPro was in front of the pilot, faced toward the rear of the airplane and captured the front seat occupants as well as a view out of the left and right windows and portions of the rear window. The time and date stamps on the recordings were unreliable, but the files appear to be from the day prior and the day of the accident. The GoPro recorded the events prior to the accident; however, the accident sequence was not recorded. The data card contained 7 total video files which are summarized below. RADAR INFORMATION Radar data which recorded flight track information for the accident flight revealed that the airplane departed FTG at 0004, made one flight around the traffic pattern and landed on runway 26 at 0010. During the flight, the airplane reached an altitude of about 900 above ground level (agl). At 0018:56 the airplane again departed runway 26 and began to drift to the left of the runway centerline. At 0020:06 the airplane turned right to the northwest, ascended at 300 feet per minute and reached an altitude of about 640 feet agl. The airplane began a left turn and reached an altitude of about 740 feet agl. At 0021:24, the left turn tightened and the airplane descended about 1,900 feet per minute. The last radar point was recorded at 0021:43, about 140 feet agl. The main wreckage was located inside the radar points which completed the descending left turn. During the flights, the airplane's distance from the runway varied between 0.44 miles and 1.66 miles away. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION On June 1, 2014, the NTSB investigator-in-charge, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and investigators from Cessna Aircraft and Continental Motors, examined the wreckage. The accident site was located in a wheat field about 2 miles west-northwest of the departure end of runway 26 at FTG, at an elevation of 5,423 feet mean sea level. The airplane impacted with the left wing first followed by the left main landing gear, the propeller, and then the right wing on a heading of 195 degrees. Pieces of red glass, consistent with a fragmented position light lens, were found on the outboard section of the initial left wing impact point. Pieces of green glass, also consistent with a fragmented position light lens, were found near the outboard section of the right wing impact point. There was a propeller slash mark in the ground near the center impact crater. A second impact area was observed 26 yards away on a heading of 250 degrees. The main wreckage was found on the 250 degree heading about 16 yards away where it came to rest. The nose of the airplane was positioned on a heading on 205 degrees. Airplane debris was found in the wreckage path from the initial impact point to the main wreckage. All major components of the airplane were found at the accident site. The right wing separated from the fuselage at the wing root and was on top of the left wing. The left wing was folded under the fuselage and was inverted. All flight controls remained attached to their respective mounts. A 1 foot section of the outboard end of the left aileron was detached and was near the initial impact point. The flaps were retracted. The elevators, rudder, and ailerons moved freely through their respective ranges of travel. The left aileron control cable was continuous from the yoke to the respective bell crank. The right aileron actuation cable separated in tension overload at the right wing root. The aileron carry through cable was separated in tension overload at the right wing root. The elevator and rudder cables were continuous from the control yoke and the rudder pedals to the respective control surfaces. The elevator trim setting was near neutral. The trim wheel chain was off the trim wheel in the cockpit. The fuel tanks contained several gallons of fuel. Neither fuel tank was breached during the accident sequence. The fuel caps were in place and the chain lanyards were attached to the caps. The fuel selector valve was in an intermediate position between OFF and ON. The fuel strainer bowl was fractured and the screen contained minimal debris. The right main landing gear remained attached to the airframe. The left main landing gear and the nose landing gear