ERA11GA207

An inadvertent encounter with localized instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.

The pilot was employed as a state game warden, and, on the day of the accident, he was on patrol in the ski-equipped airplane when he received a radio call from another game warden whose snowmobile was stuck on a nearby frozen lake. After landing on the lake and assisting another game warden, the pilot departed on the accident flight, presumably to return to his home base. The other game warden reported that, immediately after the airplane departed, the visibility was reduced to less than 1/2-mile due to snow. Postaccident analysis of position information recovered from a portable global positioning system (GPS) receiver showed that the airplane flew for about 10 minutes after takeoff at a relatively constant GPS altitude of about 1,500 feet mean sea level, or about 200 to 500 feet above ground level (agl). Shortly before the accident, the airplane turned left, away from its previously established course, toward a frozen lake along the route. During the final moments of the flight, the airplane entered a right descending turn from about 300 feet agl. During this time, the airplane was in an estimated 40-degree right bank, and its descent rate increased to in excess of 3,000 feet per minute. Examination of the accident site revealed ground scars and airplane damage consistent with the established descent profile continuing to impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures, although the definitive operational status of the vacuum-driven instruments could not be determined. Analysis of weather information and witness statements were consistent in depicting conditions likely to have produced restricted visibility and possible whiteout conditions in a snow squall over the area at the time of the accident. These restricted visibility conditions would have been conducive to the development of spatial disorientation, and the airplane’s turning ground track and rapid descent were consistent with the pilot losing control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 24, 2011, about 1623 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N724MT, operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, was substantially damaged when it impacted frozen Clear Lake about 30 nautical miles southwest of Ashland, Maine. The certificated commercial pilot/Maine Game Warden was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the public-use flight. According to the operator, the pilot had taken the airplane he customarily flew to Greenville, Maine (3B1), for routine maintenance. He then picked up the ski-equipped accident airplane and returned to his patrol area. A game warden on the ground at Clear Lake reported overhearing the pilot attempting to call the local dispatch center to report that he was having problems with his radio. The game warden was able to relay the message for the pilot using his radio, and shortly after, the pilot landed on Clear Lake and met with the game warden. The game warden stated that he and the pilot talked for approximately 30 minutes before receiving a radio call from another game warden whose snowmobile was stuck on nearby Eagle Lake. The pilot then departed Clear Lake to assist the game warden with his snowmobile. The pilot arrived to assist the warden stranded on Eagle Lake by landing on adjacent Chamberlain Lake, where he picked up the other game warden. They then both flew to where the game warden’s truck was parked, picked up tools, and departed back to where the snowmobile was located. The pilot and game warden freed the snowmobile out of approximately three feet of snow and slush. During the recovery, the pilot's boots had been inundated with an icy slush and following the recovery the pilot was "breathing heavily" from exertion. The pilot and the game warden then talked for approximately 10 minutes prior to the pilot’s departure, and during that time the pilot's breathing returned to normal. The warden reported that almost immediately after the airplane departed, visibility was reduced to less than 1/2-mile due to snow. Both wardens reported isolated areas of heavy snow moving through the area throughout the day of the accident. According to preliminary information provided by the operator, the pilot was reported missing about 2000, when he did not return to his home as expected. A subsequent search ensued, and the wreckage was located about 0850 the following day. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot was employed by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Warden Service as Game Warden/Pilot. He held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, and instrument airplane. He held a second class medical certificate, which was issued on June 14, 2010 with the limitation "must wear corrective lenses." On that date, the pilot reported 3,130 total hours of flight experience. The pilot provided updated personal information to the operator on March 13, 2011. In that report the pilot stated he obtained his commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating in 2004, and reported 3,548 total hours of pilot-in-command flight experience. He also reported 3,146 total hours of flight experience in the Cessna 185, 376 hours of which were accumulated in the 12 months preceding the date of the application. The pilot also reported 10, 70, and 2 hours of instrument flight experience in the Beechcraft BE-19, Cessna 172, and Cessna 185, respectively. The pilot's most recent flight review and instrument proficiency check (IPC) were completed on April 1, 2010. Review of personal flight logs provided by the operator showed entries for flights completed through September 22, 2010. A log entry dated April 1, 2010 noted a 1.2 hour flight in a Cessna 185, 0.7 hours of which were logged as simulated instrument flight experience. The remark for the log entry noted, "Flight Review Completed, IPC Check Completed." Additionally, 3 takeoffs and landings were logged under their respective columns, and no instrument approaches were logged under its respective column. Additional flight logs provided by the operator showed that the pilot had accumulated 19 additional flight hours between the time the above referenced report to the operator was made and the date of the accident, all of which were logged in a Cessna 185. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The National Weather Service (NWS) Surface Analysis Chart valid at 1400 depicted a low pressure system off the New England coast with an occluded front extending northeast from the low, curving southward and turning into a cold front. A secondary trough of low pressure was depicted extending northwestward across Maine and Quebec, Canada. A cold core high pressure system was located to the northwest over the Hudson Bay of Canada. The station models surrounding the accident site indicated northerly winds at 5 to 10 knots, scattered to broken clouds, temperatures around or slightly below 0 degrees Celsius (C), with dew point temperatures several degrees lower. The subsequent chart at 1700 depicted similar conditions with northerly wind at 10 knots or less, scattered to broken clouds, with temperatures in the near 0 degrees C. The northeast section of the NWS Weather Depiction Chart for 1500 depicted an area of IMC over northwest and southwest Maine into Quebec province. Surrounding that area was a larger area of marginal visual meteorological conditions over the western portion of Maine and the accident site, into northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and northeast New York State. Visual meteorological conditions were depicted over the eastern portion of Maine. The weather reported at Ilco Landing Area Seaplane Base (ME04), located about 16 miles west of the accident site, at 1625, included variable winds at 3 knots, temperature -3 degrees C, dewpoint -4 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.67 inches of mercury (inHg). The station reported that less than 0.01 inches of precipitation had fallen during the previous hour. The station was not equipped with a precipitation discriminator, and could not report visibility, weather, or cloud conditions. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite number 13 visible image at 1615 depicted a broken area of low cumulus clouds over northern Maine, oriented in an open cellular pattern. The accident site was located near the leading edge of cumulus cloud. The infrared image at the same time depicted a radiative cloud top temperature of 260° Kelvin (K) or -13.16° C, which corresponded to cloud tops near 5,000 feet. The closest NWS Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler (WSR-88D) was located at Caribou (KCBW), Maine located approximately 62 miles east-southeast of the accident site. The KCBW WSR-88D base reflectivity image for the 0.5° elevation scan completed at 1617:53 depicted scattered areas of very light intensity echoes from 5 to 24 decibels (dBZ) across the region, with the accident site located under echoes of approximately 20 dBZ. Given the temperature profile, the echoes were likely associated with scattered snow showers or snow squalls. A subsequent scan completed at 1627:32 showed that the radar echo over the accident site remained at 20 to 24 dBZ and had moved southward during that time. The NWS Area forecast valid for the time of the accident was issued at 1345, and was valid until 0200 on March 25, 2011. The forecast for Maine expected broken clouds at 4,000 feet with tops to 9,000 feet with occasional light snow showers. The outlook from 0200 through 0800 was for VMC to prevail. The NWS also issued advisories current for Maine about the time of the accident, which included AIRMET Sierra update 2 for mountain obscuration, which bounded an area just south of the accident site, and AIRMET Zulu, which encompassed the accident site, for icing conditions below 8,000 feet. According to the operator, the airplane was equipped w