CHI07FA045

The pilot's reported spatial disorientation which lead to not maintaining altitude/clearance from terrain and not obtaining/maintaining a proper climb rate during the missed approach. Factors were the night, the clouds encountered on approach, and trees.

The airplane, piloted by an instrument rated private pilot, was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain while being vectored on a missed approach. An instrument flight plan was on file and was activated. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport at the time of the accident. However, instrument conditions were reported at approach altitudes. In a transmission with the air traffic controller during the flight, the pilot stated he was "disorientated" and he confirmed that the "trouble" was not with the airplane. Plotted radar data showed that the airplane descended below altitudes the airplane was being vectored on and below published altitudes for the precision approach. The air traffic controller cancelled the approach clearance and gave a missed approach clearance to climb. The data showed that the airplane did an undirected 360-degree turn while being vectored and another undirected turn near the accident site. The pilot had accumulated 366 hours of total flight time. He had accumulated 29.1 hours of night flight time, 54.1 hours of simulated instrument flight time, and 14.3 hours of actual instrument flight time. He logged 3.9 hours of actual instrument flight time and four instrument approaches in the six months prior to the accident. The pilot's logbook did not contain an instrument competency check. The recorded weather at the destination was: Wind 210 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 9 statute miles; sky condition few clouds 500 feet, overcast 1,800 feet; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.95 inches of mercury; remarks drizzle began about 27 minutes before the accident and ended about 16 minutes before the accident. An on-scene investigation was conducted and no airframe or engine pre-impact anomalies were detected.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 22, 2006, about 2136 eastern standard time, a Beech A36, N3704B, piloted by an instrument rated private pilot, was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain while being vectored on a missed approach north of the Lovell Field Airport (CHA), near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. An instrument flight plan was on file and was activated. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), near Gainesville, Florida, about 1850 and was destined for CHA. A transcript of conversations on a Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approach control frequency for CHA, in part, stated: Party making transmission Abbreviation Bonanza N3704B N3704B CHA Approach Control at Position 002, East ARE Continental Express, BTA8133 BTA8133 CHA Approach Control at Position 002 Relieving Controller, East CPC1 Cirrus N609KG N609KG Unknown UNK 2108:38 N3704B chattanooga bonanza three seven zero four bravo is with you level six thousand 2108:42 ARE bonanza three seven zero four bravo Chattanooga approach Chattanooga altimeter two niner niner five verify oscar 2108:49 N3704B two niner niner five and i do have oscar 2108:52 ARE roger 2108:55 N3704B let me know when i can start down zero four bravo 2108:58 ARE november zero four bravo expect lower in about three miles you're not quite in my airspace 2110:16 ARE november zero four bravo descend at pilot's discretion maintain four thousand 21210:20 N3704B alright ah zero four bravo down to four thousand 2117:16 ARE november zero four bravo descend at pilot's discretion maintain three thousand 2117:21 N3704B alright down to three thousand zero four bravo 2117:30 N3704B ah chattanooga confirm ah i l s [instrument landing system] two zero 2117:34 ARE november zero four bravo affirmative 2117:44 ARE november zero four bravo did you copy 2117:47 N3704B yeah affirmative ah i l s two zero zero four bravo 2121:23 ARE november zero four bravo turn right heading zero two zero vector to final approach course 2121:27 N3704B (unintelligible) right to zero two zero for vectors zero four bravo 2122:03 ARE november zero four bravo maintain three thousand verify at three thousand 2122:08 N3704B ah negative i was descending there sorry 2122:10 ARE november zero four bravo climb and maintain three thousand 2122:14 N3704B alright up to three (unintelligible) 2122:21 ARE november zero four bravo say altitude 2122:24 N3704B three thousand zero four bravo 2122:26 ARE roger 2123:11 ARE november zero four bravo say altitude 2123:21 ARE november zero four bravo say altitude 2123:23 N3704B (unintelligible) little disorientated 2123:25 ARE november zero four bravo are you able to climb to three thousand 2123:28 N3704B yeah i'm getting back to three thousand just a little disorientated here 2123:31 ARE november zero four bravo do you need any assistance 2123:35 N3704B (unintelligible) ah i think i got it back under control 2123:39 ARE november zero four bravo you're not experiencing any icing or anything 2123:42 N3704B ah negative 2123:48 UNK (unintelligible) 2123:57 ARE november zero four bravo do you have the aircraft under control 2124:01 N3704B ah yeah yeah i got it under control 2124:04 ARE november zero four bravo are you on level flight 2124:09 N3704B yeah yeah i'm level 2124:12 ARE november zero four bravo roger when able say heading 2124:17 N3704B o k i'm ah on a north heading 2124:20 ARE november zero four bravo roger continue current heading just maintain three thousand 2124:25 N3704B north and ah three thousand zero four bravo 2124:52 ARE november zero four bravo fly heading zero two zero 2124:57 N3704B alright turning to zero two zero zero four bravo 2125:09 ARE and november zero four bravo you're not having any trouble with the aircraft are you 2125:12 N3704B no no no I just got a little disorientated there 2125:16 ARE roger it's ah yourself is disorientated not the not trouble with the plane correct 2125:20 N3704B correct 2125:21 ARE november zero four bravo roger er you think you'll be able to land the plane or do you need to fly around a little bit and clear your head 2125:27 N3704B ah let me just clear my head a little bit here 2125:30 ARE november zero four bravo roger continue on the zero two zero heading and maintain three thousand or would you like to climb back up 2125:36 N3704B i'm gonna try an maintain three thousand on a zero two zero heading zero four bravo 2125:41 ARE november zero four bravo roger maintain block altitude three thousand to four thousand 2125:46 N3704B alright zero four bravo three thousand 2126:04 ARE november zero four bravo are you in the clouds or are you ah v m c 2126:08 N3704B i'm ah full i m c here 2126:11 ARE november zero four bravo i'm sorry v m c or i m c 2126:14 N3704B i m c zero four bravo 2126:15 ARE november zero four bravo roger 2126:25 ARE november zero four bravo would you like to ah climb up and ah try to get ah v m c or do you wanna stay in that alt that altitude 2126:33 N3704B i think i'm o k zero two zero on the heading and i'm at thirty three hundred i'll go down to three thousand 2126:40 ARE november zero four bravo roger 2126:43 BTA8133 an ah jetlink eighty one thirty three we we're [i m c] we were v m c about ah five thousand feet ah ah probably about five miles south of the field 2126:50 ARE jetlink eighty one thirty three thank you sir 2127:17 ARE november zero four bravo fly heading three six zero 2127:20 N3704B alright three six zero on the heading zero four bravo 2127:37 ARE and november zero four bravo let me know if you start to feel disorientated again 2127:41 N3704B o k i think i'm ah i think i've got it under control now ah down to three thousand on a ah zero zero zero heading 2127:48 UNK (unintelligible) 2128:33 ARE november zero four bravo turn left heading three three zero 2128:38 N3704B left to three three zero zero four bravo 2129:07 ARE november zero four bravo i'm gonna take you out a little bit farther (unintelligible) nice slow turn on to the localizer 2129:12 N3704B o k thanks zero four bravo 2130:27 ARE november zero four bravo turn left heading a two niner zero 2130:31 N3704B left to two niner zero zero four bravo 2130:51 ARE november zero four bravo continue left turn heading two seven zero 2130:55 N3704B alright left to two seven zero 2131:01 ARE november zero four bravo the ah about fifteen minutes ago the last regional jet inbound broke out about twenty one hundred 2131:08 N3704B o k great zero four bravo 2131:35 ARE november zero four bravo turn left heading ah two five zero 2131:39 N3704B alright two five zero zero four bravo 2131:51 ARE november zero four bravo are you still feeling alright 2131:54 N3704B yeah i'm feeling fine now 2131:55 ARE november zero four bravo turn left heading ah two three zero 2131:58 N3704B (unintelligible) two three zero zero four bravo 2132:22 ARE november zero four bravo five miles from hixon maintain two thousand five hundred until established on the localizer cleared i l s runway two zero approach 2132:31 N3704B o k ah maintain two thousand ah five hundred til established on the localizer cleared i l s two zero zero four bravo 2132:44 ARE and november zero four bravo turn right heading ah two four five short