WPR10GA113

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while operating into a known area of mountain obscuration due to low clouds, precipitation, and mist.

The flightcrew had completed a public-use migratory bird survey flight. After landing, the pilot purchased fuel and updated the flight plan. The pilot stated to the flight service station briefer that he was aware of the area AIRMETs (airmen’s meteorological information) for mountain obscuration and turbulence that were active for the area of intended flight. The weather conditions at the destination 30 minutes prior to the accident were calm wind; 5 miles visibility; few clouds at 700 feet, broken clouds at 4,400 feet, and overcast at 5,000 feet. The pilot departed for the destination, which was located 38 miles east and where the airplane was based. Although the pilot had updated his flight plan before they departed, the pilot never activated the flight plan once airborne. The route between the departure airport and destination airport consisted of flight over mountainous terrain with terrain elevations between 1,000 and 1,750 feet mean sea level (msl). Radar and global positioning system data showed that the airplane proceeded east at an altitude of around 2,800 feet msl and followed a highway. Twenty minutes after takeoff and 14 miles northwest of the destination, the airplane changed to southeasterly flight path towards the destination. The airplane started a very gradual descent and, after about 2 minutes, impacted trees at 1,500-feet msl while in level flight; the airplane was about 9 miles northwest of the destination. Weather analysis indicated that conditions at the accident site leading up to the time of the accident were low clouds at 700 feet above ground level (agl) with ceilings at 4,000 feet. Surface conditions were near saturation, indicative of precipitation reaching the ground and/or reduced visibilities. Weather radar imagery indicated the accident airplane was below an area of light precipitation during the final portion of flight. Conditions between 300 feet agl and 1,500 feet were highly favorable for cloud sustainment and/or development. A much deeper cloudy region dominated altitudes above 4,000 feet, and the freezing level was about 5,000 feet. A postimpact examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 17, 2010, about 1622 Pacific standard time (PST), a Cessna 182R, N702, collided with mountainous terrain 9 miles northwest of Corvallis, Oregon. The Department of Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service, operated the airplane as a public-use positioning flight. The commercial pilot and passenger were killed; the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Newport Municipal Airport, Newport, Oregon, about 1600. According to US Fish and Wildlife Service officials, the airplane had completed a wildlife survey in the vicinity of Olympia, Washington. The airplane landed at Newport Municipal Airport, the pilot purchased fuel, and he updated their flight plan. The pilot phoned his girlfriend, told her that there was a break in the weather, and that he was having trouble contacting Flight Service. They were going to fly to Corvallis, and if she had not heard from him by 1700, to call the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The pilot and his passenger departed Newport about 1600 for the Corvallis airport, which is 38 miles east of Newport, and where the airplane was based. Although the pilot had updated his flight plan while in Newport, the pilot never activated the flight plan once airborne. At 1833, the airplane was reported overdue and search efforts commenced. The terrain between Newport and Corvallis is mountainous with elevations between 1,000 and 1,750 feet mean sea level (msl). A combination of air and ground search and rescue teams located the wreckage around 0830 on January 18th by homing in on the airplane's emergency locater transmitter (ELT) beacon. The terrain elevation in the vicinity of the wreckage is approximately 1,500 feet msl. The radar data that was collected included uncorrected altitude information based on an atmospheric pressure reference of 29.92 inches of mercury (inHg). To convert the altitude data to altitude msl, a conversion of 1 inHg equal to 1,000 feet was used, and applied to the local pressure altitude setting at the time of the accident, 29.32 inHg. Using this conversion, the radar altitude information minus 600 feet equated to the msl altitude. Radar data showed the airplane over the Oregon coast northwest of the Newport Municipal Airport at 1605. The track proceeded easterly, roughly following Highway 20, at an altitude of 2,900 feet msl. At 1617, the airplane’s track started a very gradual descent to 2,200 feet msl. At 1620, the track turned to the southeast, and continued the shallow descent to 2,000 feet msl. The last radar return occurred at 1622, 1,800 feet msl, in the vicinity of the where the wreckage was located. A portable GPS (Garmin GPSMap 396) was recovered and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board’s Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for data recovery. GPS recorded altitude is based on a datum plane that for practical purposes approximates msl altitude. The GPS data recovered for the accident flight started at 1557:55, and data was recorded roughly every 10 seconds until 1622:25. The track mirrored the radar track previously described. During the majority of the airplane’s transit to the east, the average altitude was around 2,700 feet msl. At 1617, the airplane began a gradual descent while heading in a southeastern direction. At 1620, the GPS unit recorded an altitude of 2,435 feet msl. During the final minute of the GPS data the altitude descended from 2,166 feet agl to 1,693 feet agl, and the average ground speed was 119 knots. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 52, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, airplane land, and instrument airplane, issued April 26, 1995. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on September 1, 2009, with the restriction that he wear corrective lenses. The pilot’s logbook was not recovered for examination. The pilot reported on his last FAA medical application that he had accumulated 4,463 hours of flight time. The pilot's employer, US Fish and Wildlife Service-Department of the Interior, provided records dated February 2, 2009, in which the pilot reported 4,294 flight hours; 4,165 hours of single engine time; 14 hours multi-engine time; 62 hours of actual instrument time; 85 hours simulated instrument time; 148 hours of night time; and had accumulated 354.2 hours over the previous 12 months. The most recent Interagency Pilot Evaluation/Qualification Check was performed on March 9, 2009, in a Cessna 182. No “U”s (unsatisfactory) areas or skill deficiencies were noted during the check. The pilot was issued a qualification card for “Recon, low level VFR C-182.” The pilot’s girlfriend of 7 years stated that his sleep patterns had been normal in the recent days, that he did not take any medication or over-the-counter drugs, and that he had not complained of any physical ailments. Tuesday January 12th was a day off work for the pilot. On January 14-15 he flew in the vicinity of Finely Wildlife Refuge, and stayed overnight in McMinnville. The weather on January 16th was not conducive for flying, he stayed home, and went to bed around 2130. On January 17th he woke up around 0730, monitored the weather, decided to fly, and was out of the house at 1030. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The four seat, high wing, fixed-gear airplane, serial number (S/N) 182-68528, was manufactured in 1985. It was powered by a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-470-F(26) 260-HP engine, and equipped with a two blade McCauley constant speed propeller. The airplane was not equipped with anti-ice or deicing equipment. Examination of the airplane's logbook revealed that the most recent annual inspection was performed on April 20, 2009; aircraft total time was 4,869.7 hours. On September 21, 2009, a 100-hour inspection was performed at an aircraft total time of 4,966.5 hours; engine tach time was 2,604.2 hours. The engine tach read 2,656.4 hours when examined at the accident scene. Examination of the engine logbook revealed that the engine had been installed new on the airplane on September 13, 2004. The most recent 100-hour inspection was performed on September 21, 2009, at an engine total time of 854.2 hours. The weight and balance data sheet, dated April 20, 2009, showed an aircraft weight of 1,792.44 pounds, and a useful load of 1,307.56 pounds. A fuel receipt from the Newport Municipal Airport FBO showed that the accident airplane took on 26 gallons of Avgas at 1534, on January 17th. The pilot reported in his flight plan that he had 3 hours of fuel onboard the airplane. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The NWS Surface Analysis Chart for 1600 PST (0000Z) depicted a surface low pressure center off the Oregon coast with a sea level pressure of 972-hectopascals (hPa), and an occluded front stretching southeastward toward the northern California coast, with a warm front extending into northern California. The station models depicted calm to southeasterly winds; light to moderate rain in the vicinity of the accident site, with overcast skies over most of the region. A regional weather radar mosaic of the northwestern U.S., valid at 1622 PST, identified “very light” to “light to moderate” precipitation intensities across some of the region, with stronger intensities near the Portland, Oregon, area. Corvallis Municipal Airport (KCVO) is located about 9 miles to the southeast of the accident site at an elevation of 250 ft. The airport was equipped with a non-federal Automated Weather Observing Station (AWOS-3), which reported every 20 minutes. At 1555, Corvallis (KCVO) reported winds calm; visibility 5 miles; few clouds at 700 feet above ground level (agl), with ceiling broken at 4,400 feet and overcast at 5,000 feet; temperature 11 degrees Celsius (C); dew point of 8 degrees C; and altimeter setting of 29.33 inHg. At 1615, Corvallis (KCVO) reported wind fr