ATL04LA097

The pilot received an abbreviated preflight briefing from an FAA Automated Flight Service Station. The pilot informed the briefer that he knew about the weather along his planned route of flight and that he wanted to know about the thunderstorm activity. At the completion of the briefing the pilot informed the briefer that he was going to take a look. The pilot contacted Memphis Approach Control level at 6,000 feet. The controller asked the pilot for his heading and the pilot stated 356-degrees. The controller then asked the pilot if he wanted to continue on that heading or turn east bound to go-around the weather. The pilot stated, "I'd like to avoid the weather" The controller acknowledged the pilot's request and instructed him to turn right to a heading of 060-degrees. The pilot informed the controller, "The route straight ahead as far as I can see looks VMC I'd like to be sure on that but I appreciate your input." The controller replied, "All right - stay on course and let me know if that weather starts to become a problem for you." The pilot acknowledged the controller. The controller informed the pilot that he was going to run into a 10-mile band of showers that was crossing his flight path, but did not provide any information on the intensity of the echoes. The controller stated that the quickest way through the weather was on a heading of 330-degrees. The pilot stated, "alright sir we'll go to three thirty and we'll slow down a little bit." A short time later the controller informed the pilot that it appeared the airplane was encountering some up drafts. The controller informed the pilot there were no targets around his altitude, and he should be out of the weather in about 10 miles. The pilot acknowledged the transmission. The controller made a radio call in the blind stating that radar contact was lost 30 miles northeast of Memphis. He further stated, if you can hear, suggest a heading of northwest bound to get through the weather. You are in an area of level four and level five thunderstorms. No communication was received from the pilot. Review of radar data revealed the airplane started a descending right turn at 09:58:54 and the last radar beacon code was at 09:59:12. No primary radar targets were depicted in the accident area. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control," contains guidance to controllers on the supply of radar-observed weather information to pilots.

a. Issue pertinent information on observed/reported weather or chaff areas. Provide radar navigational guidance and/or approve deviations around weather or chaff areas when requested by the pilot.

1. Issue weather and chaff information by defining the area of coverage in terms of azimuth (by referring to the 12-hour clock) and distance from the aircraft or by indicating the general width of the area and the area of coverage in terms of fixes or distance and direction from fixes.

2. Issue the level of echo intensity when that information is available.

History of flight

On April 23, 2004, at 0959 central daylight time, a Durr, Lancair Legacy, N511WD, registered to C and D Aircraft Sales, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with the ground while maneuvering in an area of thunderstorm activity, and while in radio contact with Memphis Air Traffic Control Tower, Departure Radar East (ATCT). Radio and radar contact was lost at 10:00. Attempts to reestablish contact with the pilot was unsuccessful. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and located in the vicinity of Oakland, Tennessee, at 1230. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Diamondhead, Mississippi, on April 23, 2004, at 0840.

The pilot contacted the Greenwood Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) to request an abbreviated weather briefing for an instrument flight rules flight from Diamondhead, Mississippi to Alton/St. Louis, Illinois. The pilot advised the briefer that he had been watching the weather channel. The briefer replied, "well you've been watching and you still want to go?" The pilot responded, "Baby needs a wash job." The briefer described a large area of convective activity along the pilot's route, and also reported that there were convective SIGMETs in effect. After the briefer completed the summary of weather conditions, the pilot stated that he would, "…just uh go up and take a look at it and see what it looks like out of the windshield."

The pilot contacted Memphis Approach Control at 09:50 level at 6,000 feet. The controller asked the pilot for his heading and the pilot stated 356-degrees. The controller then asked the pilot if he wanted to continue on that heading or turn east bound to go-around the weather. The pilot stated, "I'd like to avoid the weather" The controller acknowledged the pilot's request and instructed him to turn right to a heading of 060-degrees. The pilot informed the controller, "The route straight ahead as far as I can see looks VMC I'd like to be sure on that but I appreciate your input." The controller replied, "All right - stay on course and let me know if that weather starts to become a problem for you." The pilot acknowledged. At 0956 The controller informed the pilot that he was going to run into a 10-mile band of showers that was crossing his flight path, but did not provide any information on the intensity of the echoes. The controller stated that the quickest way through the weather was on a heading of 330-degrees. The pilot stated, "alright sir we'll go to three thirty and we'll slow down a little bit." A short time later the controller informed the pilot that it appeared the airplane was encountering some up drafts. The controller informed the pilot there were no targets around his altitude, and he should be out of the weather in about 10 miles. The pilot acknowledged the transmission. The controller made a radio call in the blind stating that radar contact was lost 30 miles northeast of Memphis. He further stated, if you can hear, suggest a heading of northwest bound to get through the weather. You are in an area of level four and level five thunderstorms. No communication was received from the pilot. Review of radar data revealed the airplane started a descending right turn at 09:58:54 and the last radar beacon code was at 09:59:12. No primary radar targets were depicted in the accident area.

Personnel information

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the commercial pilot was issued a commercial pilot certificate on September 22, 2000, with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane. In addition, the pilot held a repairman experimental aircraft builder certificate issued on September 29, 2003. The pilot held a third class medical certificate issued on July 19, 2002, with the restriction, "must wear corrective lenses." The pilot satisfactorily completed an instrument competency check on March 30, 2003. The pilot reported on his last application for the third class medical certificate that he had accumulated 3,000 total flight hours. A friend of the pilot stated the pilot had 105 hours in the airplane of which 45 hours were solo.

Aircraft information

Attempts to recover the aircraft logbooks for review were unsuccessful. The Hobbs meter was damaged and the airframe and engine time could not be determined. A friend of the pilot stated the airplane had accumulated 130 hours.

Meteorological information

The Millington, Tennessee, surface weather observation at 0950 was, winds 360-degrees at 10, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 600 feet, ceiling 2,400 feet broken, 6,500 feet overcast, temperature 66-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 64-degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter 30.07.

The Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tennessee, 0953 surface weather observation located 25.4 nautical miles southwest of the accident site was, wind 310-degrees at 13 knots gusting to28 knots, visibility 2 miles, heavy rain mist, 500 feet scattered, ceiling 1,000 feet broken,1,400 feet overcast, temperature 63-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 61-degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter 30.11; peak wind 340-degrees at 28 knots at 0946. Thunderstorm ended at 0924. Thunderstorm moved northeast. Law enforcement officers at the crash site reported heavy rain with thunderstorms.

A review of the Memphis Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) was requested by the NTSB from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Lincoln Laboratory. The MIT Lincoln Laboratory stated the crash of N511WD occurred just after the aircraft penetrated a strong thunderstorm 25 nautical miles northeast of Memphis. The Memphis Integrated terminal Weather Systems (ITWS) data confirmed that a level 5 thunderstorm existed over the crash site at the time of the accident. Flight track data revealed the pilot flew directly into the path of the storm, crossing the leading edge of the storm just before the accident time.

The National Weather Service issued Convective SIGMET 53C at 0855 for Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Arkansas, and was valid until 1055 from 30 miles east southeast of Farmington, 30 miles south of Dyersburg, Tennessee, 30 miles south southwest of Memphis, 20 miles north of Little Rock , and 30 miles east southeast of Farmington warning of an area of severe thunderstorms moving from 290-degrees at 30 knots with tops up to 38,000 feet, and 1 inch hail with gusts possible to 50 knots. Convective SIGMET 57C was issued at 0955 for Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Arkansas, and was valid until 1155 from 50 miles north northwest of Dyersburg, 70 miles northeast of Dyersburg, 40 miles east of Memphis, 20 miles west southwest of Memphis, and 50 miles north northwest of Dyersburg warning of an area of thunderstorms moving from 290-degrees at 30 knots with tops up to 38,000 feet.

Wreckage and impact information

The wreckage of the airplane was located in a plowed open field 1 mile north of Feathers Chapel Road in the vicinity of Oakland, Tennessee. The crash debris line was 60 yards wide and extended 75 yards south of the initial impact on a heading of 210-degrees magnetic. The engine assembly and fuselage were embedded 8-feet 6-inches below the surface of the ground.

Examination of the airframe revealed the engine assembly separated from the airframe and engine mounts. The left and right magnetos, fuel pump, tachometer generator, starter, propeller governor, alternator, fuel manifold valve and lines, induction system, exhaust system, ignition harness, injector lines, throttle body metering unit, and No.6 engine cylinder were not recovered. The top and bottom engine cowlings were fragmented. The nose gear separated from the engine mount and was in the retracted p