ERA14FA044

The pilot’s loss of control in instrument meteorological conditions for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to make the flight.

According to the pilot's wife, the pilot departed on a cross-country flight to attend a friend's funeral. He told her that he intended to stop to purchase fuel at an airport 20 miles from the departure airport. Although she reported that the pilot had indicated to her the night before the accident that he was concerned about a cold front that was moving in, it could not be determined whether he consulted any weather resources before the flight, and there was no record that he obtained an official preflight weather briefing. The pilot departed without filing an instrument flight rules flight plan for the flight; instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time of departure. A witness at the departure airport reported that he observed an airplane taxiing and heard it depart and that the weather at the time was very foggy. A review of air traffic control radar data showed the airplane 1 mile north of the departure airport tracking northwest toward the intended fuel stop destination, and the last radar target was 8 miles northwest of the departure airport. The airplane's wreckage was located in a wooded area resting nose-down at the base of a tree 1/2 mile from the destination airport. All flight control surfaces and major components were located at the accident site. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reported weather conditions at both airports about the time of the accident included low ceilings and low visibility; fog was reported at the destination airport, and the departure airport had been reporting overcast ceilings at 200 ft above ground level for several hours before the flight departed. It is likely that the pilot placed pressure upon himself to make the flight because he was going to attend his friend's funeral.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 17, 2013, about 0555 eastern standard time, a Focke-Wulf FWP 149D, N132FW, was destroyed while on approach to Duplin County Airport (DPL), Kenansville, North Carolina. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed the Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ), Jacksonville, North Carolina at 0543, which is 20.9 nautical miles southeast of DPL. According to the wife of the pilot, he was planning a flight to Michigan to attend a funeral of a friend. On the night before the accident, the pilot told his wife that he had planned to leave in the morning, depending on the weather, but he did not give a definite time. He went on to say that he would stop in Henderson Field Airport, Wallace, North Carolina (ACZ), for fuel and then stop at a midway point to refuel again before continuing to Michigan. He said that there was a cold front moving in, and he was keeping an eye on it and needed to be prepared. The pilot's wife asked him to call her when he left and landed. On November 18, 2013, after attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful, the local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration were notified by the pilot's wife that his airplane had not arrived at his destination airport. An immediate search began, and an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued. The airplane was located by ground crews on the evening of November 18, at 2213. According to a lineman at OAJ, on the morning of the accident, he noticed an airplane taxing on the ramp. He was able to see the aircraft beacon and a silhouette of the airplane but was unable to see the registration number of the aircraft. Shortly thereafter, he heard the airplane takeoff and head towards the west. He recalled that the weather at the time was very foggy. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 37, held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land with instrument airplane issued January 7, 2011, and a second-class airman medical certificate issued February 13, 2009, with no limitations. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he accumulated 656 flight hours as pilot in command and a total of 695 in make and model. Further review revealed that 23 flight hours were completed within the last 30 days before the accident. It was also noted that the pilot had a total of 62.8 hours of actual instrument time and a total of 50.8 hours of simulated instrument (HOOD) time. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The three-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 132, was manufactured in 1960. It was powered by a Lycoming Flugmotor GO-480-BIA6, serial number L4506, 264-horsepower engine equipped with MT propeller D94315. Review of copies of maintenance logbook records showed a conditional inspection was completed February 19, 2013, at a recorded airframe total time of 4,308.3 hours and a total time of 5,160.6 hours. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane was equipped with the required instruments and equipment required for instrument flight in accordance with CFR part 91, Subpart C, 91.205. According to a lineman at OAJ, he assisted the pilot in servicing the nose strut two days prior to the accident. He stated that no other maintenance was performed on the airplane. AERODROME INFORMATION Duplin County Airport is a non-towered airport with a field elevation of 134.5 feet. The airport was equipped with a single asphalt runway 5/23 (6,002 feet long and 75 feet wide). The runway was equipped with runway end identifier lights and precision approach path lights (PAPI). According to the airport manager the PAPI lights were out of service and all other lighting systems were operational. The runway was not equipped with runway edge lights or touchdown point lights and there is a published localizer instrument procedure for the airport. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION There was no record that the pilot obtained an official preflight weather briefing. The recorded weather at the OAJ at an elevation of 93 feet, revealed at 0555, conditions were winds calm, cloud conditions overcast at 200 feet above ground level (agl). Visibility 1/2 mile, temperature 54 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 52 degrees C; altimeter 30.16 inches of mercury. A review of the recorded weather observations for OAJ revealed that all reports between 0335 and 0955 reported overcast ceilings at 200 feet agl. The recorded weather at DPL at an elevation of 137 feet, revealed at 0555, conditions were winds calm, cloud conditions overcast at 100 feet agl, visibility 1/2 mile and fog, temperature 54 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 54 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury. COMMUNICATIONS Radar data was reviewed from the New River Marine Corps Air Station (NCA), Jacksonville, North Carolina. It revealed that, on November 17, 2013, between the hours of 0525 local until 0555 local, a primary target was observed 1 mile north of OAJ tracking northwest toward DPL. The primary target appeared on the scope at 0543:52. No secondary target was observed. Radar was lost at 0546:27, and then reappeared at 0546:45. The target was again lost 8 miles northwest of OAJ, or 20 miles northwest of NCA, at 0547:57, and the target did not reappear. The airplane was not transmitting a mode C signal during the flight. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage was located in a wooded area 1/2 mile from the approach end of runway 23 at DPL. All flight surfaces and major components were located at the accident site. The airplane was resting nose-down at the base of a tree. The wreckage debris path was about 100 yards long and on a magnetic heading of 230 degrees. The propeller and engine were buried about 4 feet in a crater. Examination of the cockpit revealed that it was crushed aft, and the instrument panel was crushed. The flight controls were still in their respective positions. The cockpit canopy was separated from the fuselage and located along the debris path. The flight instruments were impact-damaged. Both navigational indicators were captured at a heading of 230 degrees. Examination of the cockpit revealed control stick continuity from the stick to the bell crank and out to the flight control surfaces. The fuel selector valve was observed in the right tank position. The rudder pedals were connected to the rudder bar, and the rudder control cables were traced to the bell crank in the empennage out to the rudder. The left and right aileron trim tabs were impact-damaged, and the position was unreliable. The nose gear was observed broken off of the strut. Examination of the empennage revealed that the vertical and horizontal stabilizers were still attached and impact-damaged. The left and right horizontal stabilizers were buckled aft and revealed accordion crushing on the leading edge. The elevators were connected to the horizontal stabilizers and impact-damaged. Examination of the left wing revealed that it was separated from the fuselage at the wing root. The left wing was fragmented with accordion crushing on parts of leading edge. The left aileron was separated from the wing and located along the debris path and impact-damaged. Flight control cables were observed attached to the fragmented sections of the wing and exhibited overload fractures. The left flap assembly was separated from the wing and located along the debris path and impact- damaged. The left main landing gear was separated from the wing and located along the debris path. The left main fuel tank was breached and located in the wreckage debris path. The fuel cap was observed on a fragment of the wing and was locked with a tight seal. Examination of the right wing revealed that the wing was still attached to the fuselage. According crushing was ob