CEN15FA342

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees during the approach in dark, night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into trees and terrain.

The private pilot was completing a long cross-country flight during dark, night visual meteorological conditions. While on a visual approach to the runway, the airplane impacted trees and terrain less than a mile from the end of the runway. The pilot had not logged night flight experience in several years and had not logged any night flight experience in the make and model of the accident airplane. Additionally, he had not logged a flight into the airport in his logbook. The airport's tree obstructions and nonstandard precision approach path indicator with a 4.0-degree glidepath were noted in the airport facility directory. However, it was the pilot's first flight into the airport; thus, it is likely that his unfamiliarity with the airport environment, including the trees close proximity to the airport and nonstandard glidepath, and the dark, night conditions led to his failure to maintain clearance from the trees. The witness marks on the trees and the damage to the airplane were consistent with the airplane being in a relatively wings level descent when it impacted the tops of the trees. The condition of the landing gear and flaps were consistent with the airplane being configured to land. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane, engine, or related systems that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the accident.

The autopsy was performed by Sparrow Forensic Pathology on August 11, 2015, as authorized by the Emmett County Medical Examiner's office. The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was "multiple injuries" and the report listed the specific injuries. The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological tests on specimens that were collected during the autopsy (CAMI Reference #20150016001). Results were negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Testing of cavity blood and urine revealed amlodipine. The FAA Aerospace Medical Research website listed amlodipine as a "calcium channel blocker heart medication used in the treatment of hypertension." It provided the warning "adverse reactions include edema, dizziness, and palpitation." On the pilot's medical certificate application dated July 28, 2014, he reported using medication to control his hypertension with no side effects. The closest official weather observation station was MGN, located 1 nautical mile (nm) west of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 677 feet mean sea level (msl). The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for MGN, issued at 2335, reported wind calm, visibility 10 miles, sky conditions were scattered clouds at 4,100 feet, broken clouds at 5,000 feet, broken clouds at 6,000 feet, temperature 20 degrees Celsius (C), dew point temperature 19 degrees C, and altimeter 29.94 inches. According to the United States Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department Sun and Moon Data, the sunset was recorded at 2057 EDT and the end of civil twilight was 2130 EDT. The moon rose at 0207 EDT, and set at 1711 EDT on the day of the accident. The phase of the moon was waning crescent with 23 percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated. The pilot, age 58, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating reissued on January 28, 2015. The certificate was first issued on July 17, 2009. He was issued a special issuance third class airman medical certificate on August 5, 2014. The certificate contained the limitations "Not valid for any class after 08/31/2015. Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." On the pilot's medical certificate application, dated July 28, 2014, he reported 380 hours total time, 14 hours in the past 6 months. The pilot's personal flight logbook was located in the wreckage. It contained entries from November 10, 2006, through July 22, 2015. A review of the logbook indicated that the pilot had logged no less than 406.9 hours total time in single engine airplanes; 78.4 hours of which were in the accident airplane and 95.5 hours in high performance/complex airplanes. He received his complex airplane endorsement on November 16, 2011, and his high performance airplane endorsement on July 17, 2012. He had logged 19.5 hours at night and his last logged night flight was on November 8, 2013. He had not logged any night experience in the accident airplane nor did his logbook reflect that he had ever flown to MGN. The accident site was located in forested terrain just east of the airport. The accident site was at an elevation of 704 feet msl and the airplane impacted on a magnetic heading of 280 degrees. The initial impact point was characterized by deciduous and coniferous trees. The left wing tip was located in the top of one tree and debris extended from this point west to the main wreckage. The airplane came to rest oriented on a heading of east. The terrain sloped 45 degrees up and to the south. The main wreckage included the engine and propeller assembly, fuselage, and empennage. The right wing separated from the airframe and came to rest adjacent to and north of the main wreckage. The right side of the fuselage was crushed and twisted towards the left. The front windscreen and side windows separated and were fragmented. The bottom of the fuselage was crushed up and twisted to the left. The engine, instrument panel, and nose landing gear were twisted and the engine came to rest on its left side. The nose landing gear appeared to be extended. All three propeller blades remained attached and exhibited chordwise scratching and leading edge polishing. Two of the three propeller blades exhibited twists and bends. The followings settings and positions were documented in the cabin: Kollsman window - 29.93 Fuel selector valve - right tank select Gear handle - up Flap control handle – First notch – 10 degrees Tachometer -3665.3 Hobbs - 1204.2 Mixture Control – full forward Propeller Control – full forward Throttle Control – full forward Alternate Air Door - closed The right wing included the right aileron. The right flap separated from the wing assembly and was located 5 feet north of the right wing. The flap was buckled at midspan. Buckled and torn metal was observed along the entire leading edge of the right wing. The flight control was continuous from the aileron inboard to the separation point. When the right wing was moved about 1 gallon of fuel was observed and additional fuel poured out. The right main landing gear separated from the wing and was located 10 feet to the north of the right wing. The assembly was otherwise unremarkable. The left wing separated from the fuselage and was located to the south and uphill from the main wreckage. The outboard leading edge piece separated. Buckled and torn metal was observed along the entire leading edge of the left wing. The landing gear assembly remained attached and was down and locked. The left flap separated partially and remained attached at the flap track. The flap was buckled at midspan. The flight controls were continuous from the left aileron inboard to the separation point. The empennage included the left and right stabilators, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The outboard 22 inches of the leading edge of the left stabilator were crushed inboard and aft. Tree bark was imbedded within this crush zone. The trim tab was "down." The right stabilator was not visibly damaged. The upper leading edge of the vertical stabilizer was crushed aft and twisted to the left. The entire horizontal stabilator was twisted towards the front of the airplane on the right side and the back of the airplane on the left side. Flight controls were continuous from the forward column aft to the stabilator and rudder. About 7 threads were visible on the stabilator trim – this correlated to a slight nose up trim setting. Impact damage limited the ability to move the controls at the control yoke or the control surfaces through their full range of motion. A 55-inch portion of the left wing was located 30 feet east of the main wreckage. This piece was torn at midspan and exhibited leading edge crushing. Bark was embedded along the crush zone. The right wing tip (24-inch piece) was located to the north of the left wing piece and east of the main wreckage. The rotating beacon, plexiglas, bent and torn metal, broken tree limbs/branches, and personal effects were located in debris field scattered around the main wreckage. Several of the branches exhibited 45 degree cuts. The airplane was moved from the side of the hill to the level ground below to facilitate further examination. The upper bank of spark plugs was removed. The number 5 spark plug exhibited signatures consistent with a lean mixture. The number 6 spark plug exhibited signatures consistent with a rich mixture. The valve covers and propeller were removed from the engine and the engine was rotated at the propeller flange. Tactile compression and accessory gears and valve train continuity were observed on all cylinders. The fuel manifold contained fuel and was unremarkable. The fuel injector servo was unremarkable and the screen was free of visible debris or contamination. The number 5 fuel injector nozzle was partially occluded. All remaining fuel injector