ERA09FA027

The pilot's failure to avoid terrain during night instrument meteorological conditions.

The non-instrument-rated pilot took off under visual flight rules toward an area where, before the flight, he admitted the weather “was not too good.” Approaching the destination at night, during rain, and with the cloud ceiling about 500 feet above the ground, a witness saw the airplane fly over her house at what she estimated was about 100 feet. The airplane subsequently impacted a plowed cornfield 1.4 miles south of the witness’s house, and 12 miles north of, and headed toward, the destination airport. There were no known witnesses to the accident, and an examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have resulted in the accident. The landing gear and flaps were retracted. Wreckage path examination revealed that the airplane likely impacted the ground nose-low, and bounced once, before impacting again with the right wing down before sliding to a stop. The pilot’s required Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate had expired over 2 years prior to the accident, since which time the pilot had two strokes and coronary artery bypass surgery. Multiple medications were found in the pilot’s luggage, including a prescription antidepressant, an impairing prescription anti-anxiety medication, a sedating over-the-counter antihistamine, and over-the-counter nasal decongestants. On autopsy, a complete blockage of one coronary artery graft was noted and toxicology results indicated recent use of the antidepressant. The anti-anxiety medication and antihistamine were not reported on toxicology testing, but toxicology reporting thresholds for those substances were above the levels at which impairment could be seen. The circumstances of the accident were consistent with spatial disorientation, but given the pilot’s medical history and likely recent use of impairing medications, the possibility of impairment or incapacitation cannot be eliminated. The pilot failed to maintain a current medical certificate, used an impairing prescription medication, and knew that inclement weather existed that exceeded his qualifications. He was asked to stay overnight at a previous stop, but stated that he wanted to go home.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 23, 2008, about 2134 central daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N7510Y, registered to and operated by a private individual, crashed in a corn field near Selmer, Tennessee. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal (CFR) Part 91 personal flight from Searcy Municipal Airport (SRC), Searcy, Arkansas, to Roscoe Turner Airport (CRX), Corinth, Mississippi. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and the certificated private pilot was killed. The time of departure from SRC was estimated to be between 1835 and 1845. There was no record of any weather briefing with Lockheed Martin Automated Flight Service Station (LM AFSS) or either Direct User Access Terminal (DUAT) vendor for the intended flight. Additionally, there was no record of contact with any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC) facility during the flight. According to a fuel receipt, the pilot purchased fuel at Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO), Durango, Colorado, at 1208 local time. The airplane later arrived at Hutchinson County Airport (BGD), Borger, Texas, and while there, all four fuel tanks were filled. According to the refueler, he recognized the airplane from a week earlier, when the airplane arrived with a landing gear problem. He asked the pilot if the landing gear was working properly and the pilot responded, "yes." He then asked the pilot about the en route weather, and the pilot stated that, "…it was not too good, but that he had radar. He then departed at about 4:00 p.m." The airplane subsequently proceeded to Searcy Municipal Airport, where the pilot purchased about 18 gallons of fuel. Payment for the fuel by credit card occurred about 1828. A friend of the pilot reported going to the airport between approximately 1830 and 1845 to see him, but when the friend arrived, the airplane had already departed. There were no known witnesses who saw the airplane depart. A witness, located approximately 1.4 nautical miles north-northeast of the crash site, reported that about 2130, an airplane flew low over her house at 100 feet above ground level (agl) in a south or southwesterly direction. It was raining at the time, but not lightning, and she could not see stars or the moon. Additionally, a pilot-rated witness reported that IMC conditions prevailed in the area due to clouds and fog. There were no known witnesses to the accident; the airplane crashed in a plowed corn field and the wreckage was spotted the next morning. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 71, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and multi-engine land, issued December 21, 1982. His latest FAA third class medical certificate was issued October 8, 2004. For a person over the age of 40, a third class medical certificate expires the 24th month after the month of the date of examination. The pilot listed 3,650 hours of total flight time on the application for his latest medical certificate. The pilot was not instrument rated. The pilot's son reported that his father flew instrument flight rules (IFR) “a lot’ and he (his father), felt comfortable flying in instrument meteorological conditions, but would not fly an approach to minimums. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was manufactured in 1964, by Piper Aircraft, Inc., as model PA-30, and was designated serial number 30-574. It was powered by two Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160-horsepower engines equipped with Hartzell constant speed propellers. It was also equipped with a two-axis Century III autopilot flight system. Review of the maintenance records revealed the airplane was last inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on January 18, 2007. Federal regulations (14 CFR Part 91.409) indicate no person may operate an aircraft unless within the preceding 12 calendar months, it has had an annual inspection in accordance with (IAW) 14 CFR Part 43 and been returned to service. At the time of the accident, the airplane had operated for approximately 47 hours since the inspection. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION A friend of the pilot reported that the pilot knew about the weather conditions in the area of the destination airport before his initial departure. The pilot advised him that he may have to approach the destination airport from the north. The friend asked the pilot to spend the night but the pilot stated that he wanted to get home. A special surface observation weather report (SPECI METAR) recorded at Robert Sibley Airport (SZY), Selmer, Tennessee, at 1956, indicated the wind was from 290 degrees at 7 knots, the visibility was 9 statute miles, a few clouds existed at 500 feet, and broken clouds existed at 4,100 feet. The temperature and dew point were 12 and 11 degrees Celsius respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.18 inches of mercury (inHg). The accident site was located approximately 7 nautical miles southwest of SZY. A SPECI METAR recorded at SZY at 2044, indicated the wind was variable at 5 knots, the visibility was 3 statute miles, and broken clouds existed at 400 feet. The temperature and dew point were 11 and 10 degrees Celsius respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.20 inHg. A SPECI METAR recorded at SZY at 2129, indicated the wind was calm, and the visibility was 4 statute miles. Broken clouds existed at 500 feet and overcast clouds existed at 1,400 feet. The temperature and dew point were each 9 degrees Celsius, and the altimeter setting was 30.20 inHg. AIRPORT INFORMATION Roscoe Turner Airport had one asphalt runway designated 18/36. It had an instrument landing system (ILS) or localizer approach to runway 18, and area navigation (RNAV) or global positioning system (GPS) approaches to runways 18 and 36. The airport also had an automated weather observing system (AWOS)-3. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane crashed in the southwest corner of a rectangular, north/south-oriented, plowed corn field; the crash site was located approximately 12 nautical miles north of the destination airport. The airplane came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of 278 degrees, approximately 247 feet from the first observed ground contact location. The energy path was oriented on a magnetic heading of 184 degrees. Debris along the energy path between the first ground contact location and the resting point of the wreckage consisted of the nose landing gear door and shimmy damper, outside air temperature (OAT) gauge, right aileron, DME antenna, left propeller with fractured crankshaft flange, 3M Weather Stormscope avionic equipment, and numerous IFR charts and some VFR charts. Ground scars were not continuous from the first point of ground contact to the resting point of the airplane. The first ground scar measured approximately 72 feet in length; the pitot mast was noted near the end of this ground scar. The second ground scar began approximately 40 feet from the end of the first ground scar and the OAT gauge and nose landing gear door and shimmy damper were noted in this location. The left propeller was found on the right side of the energy path approximately 192 feet from the first ground contact location and the right aileron was noted on the left side of the energy path approximately 201 feet from the first ground contact location. The airplane’s nose section and the cockpit to the pilot's seat were destroyed. The right side of the fuselage in the cockpit and cabin area was structurally opened along the length and was displaced (rolled) to the left approximately 25 degrees. The right engine with attached propeller remained partially attached to the wing. The right horizontal stabilator was bent up approximately 10 degrees beginning about midspan, while no appreciable damage was noted to the left side of the horizontal stabilator, vertical stabilizer, or rudder. Stabilator and rudder flight control cable