ATL05FA148

Before takeoff on the accident flight, the pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing that included Convective SIGMET information, and he acknowledged to the briefer that he was aware of thunderstorm activity northeast of GAD. The pilot departed GAD, proceeded northeast toward SME. While in cruise flight north of CSV, the pilot requested to deviate to the left of course for an "immediate buildup," and the controller cleared the pilot to deviate right or left of course as necessary. A study of weather echo data and ATC radar data for the airplane's ground track showed that, about the time that the pilot made the request to deviate, the airplane was likely encountering the southern edge of an intense weather echo. After the pilot acknowledged the clearance, the controller advised the pilot that there appeared to be "weather" off the pilot's left side. The pilot responded that he also showed it in front and that he wanted to keep turning left to avoid it. The controller advised the pilot that he didn't see any weather for which the pilot would want to deviate to the left, and he again cleared the pilot to deviate to the right or the left. About 1 minute later, the controller restricted the pilot's heading and altitude clearances, and the pilot acknowledged. The controller did not provide the pilot any echo intensity, location, or distance information. The pilot did request any further deviations or advise of an emergency. According to the weather echo and ground track study, the airplane encountered intense to extreme thunderstorm activity and turbulence. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction.

History of flight

On August 17, 2005, about 1813 central daylight time, a Beech A36, N1824W, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided into mountainous, wooded terrain in the vicinity of Jamestown, Tennessee. The business flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the route of flight with an area of marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions present in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. The private pilot and the passenger received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) in Gadsden, Alabama, about 1710 en route to Somerset - Pulaski County - J. T. Wilson Field (SME) in Somerset, Kentucky.

According to the pilot's flight plan, the intended flight was from GAD direct to SME at 7,000 feet mean sea level (msl). According to air traffic control (ATC) records, the flight departed and climbed on course to 7,000 feet. About 1731, while the airplane was in cruise flight at 7,000 feet msl and the pilot was in contact with the Chattanooga, Tennessee, approach controller, the pilot requested deviations of 10 degrees right and left of course for 10 miles to avoid weather. The Chattanooga approach controller approved the pilot's request, and, about 1744, the pilot advised the controller that he had resumed a heading of 024 degrees direct to SME.

A review of the ATC communications records showed that the pilot was in communication with Atlanta air route traffic control center (ARTCC) controllers since about 1753, and, about 1810, the pilot requested to deviate to the left of course; Atlanta ARTCC personnel transferred communications to the Indianapolis ARTCC.

At 1811:12, the pilot made his initial contact with an Indianapolis ARTCC radar controller and reported the flight's altitude was 7,000 feet. At 1811:20, the pilot stated, "two four whiskey would like to turn ah about ah forty-five degrees left for immediate build up." The radar controller replied, "... two four whiskey deviations right or left of course as necessary for weather are approved direct Somerset when able."

The pilot acknowledged, then the controller added, "roger, and I show weather just right off your left side." The pilot replied, "well I show it in front of me too so I'm gonna turn left 'til I get ah far enough to miss it by ah by your help please." At 1811:47, the controller stated, "... I'm not showing any weather ah that that you'd want to deviate to the left for so but deviations right or left of course are approved at your discretion direct Somerset when able."

The pilot acknowledged and stated, "okay and it looks like I need a block altitude and ah (unintelligible)." At 1812:07, the controller cleared the pilot to "descend at pilot's discretion maintain five thousand pilot's discretion to fi- four thousand three hundred, forty three hundred feet," and the pilot acknowledged. The controller then contacted another ATC facility that was handling a twin-engine airplane, advised the facility that the pilot of N1824W was deviating, and asked that facility to re-route the twin-engine airplane.

At 1812:36, the controller asked the pilot how far to the left he was turning, and the pilot replied that the airplane's heading was about 270 degrees. The controller replied, "okay do not go any further south than a two seventy heading and ah amend altitude maintain seven thousand maintain seven or six thousand or above." At 1812:48, the pilot acknowledged the altitude of 6,000 feet or above. No further radio communications were received from the flight, and radar data for the flight ceased about 1814.

After subsequent attempts by ATC personnel to contact the pilot by radio were unsuccessful, a search was initiated. An air search spotter in a helicopter located the downed airplane on August 18, 2005, at the 1,600-foot level of rapidly rising terrain. The accident site was about 48 nautical miles (nm) southwest of SME.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land with an instrument rating. His held a third-class FAA airman medical certificate issued June 29, 2005, with the restrictions "must wear corrective lenses and possess glasses for near and intermediate vision" and " special panel exemption, time-limited for 6 months." The pilot's logbooks were not recovered for examination. A certificated flight instructor provided a record that the pilot completed a flight review and an instrument proficiency check on April 28, 2004, as required by 14 CFR 61.56 and 14 CFR 61.57(d), respectively. On the pilot's most recent application for airman medical certificate, he reported 4,900 total civilian flight hours.

Aircraft information

The airplane was manufactured in 1973 and was originally equipped with a Continental IO-520 series engine. A Teledyne Continental IO-550-B4F engine, manufactured on February 19, 2003, was installed on the airplane on March 21, 2003. It was equipped with a Hartzell PHC-C3YF-IRF three-bladed propeller.

The engine and airframe logbooks recorded that an annual inspection was completed April 23, 2005, at a tachometer reading of 1512.2 hours, an airframe total time of 3519.69 hours, and an engine total time of 309.4 hours. A log entry recorded that the most recent altimeter, encoder, and static system tests required by 14 CFR 91.411 and the transponder test required by 14 CFR 91.413 were completed April 21, 2005.

The most recent logbook entry was dated August 6, 2005, and recorded a tachometer reading of 1583.8 and an engine total time of 380.5 hours. Damage precluded determination of the tachometer reading at the accident site.

According to the airplane's maintenance logs, the airplane was equipped with a WX-10A Stormscope. Damage precluded identification of the instrument at the accident site.

Meteorolgical information

According to ATC communications records, before the pilot departed from GAD, he telephoned the Anniston, Alabama, automated flight service station (AFSS) at 1658 to file an IFR flight plan for the planned 1-hour-50-minute flight from GAD direct to SME with a planned departure time of 1710 and a planned altitude of 7,000 feet. The pilot told the AFSS briefer that he was aware of scattered Level 3 to 5 thunderstorms to the northeast of GAD over northern Alabama and Tennessee and that he had seen them on his computer screen. The AFSS briefer described the current weather conditions and indicated that a Convective SIGMET was in effect for the area of northern Alabama and Tennessee.

The Memphis Center Weather Advisory 501 was issued at 1559 and was valid until 1800. The advisory area extended from a point 60 miles northeast of Dyersburg, Tennessee, to 40 miles northeast of Nashville, Tennessee, to 55 miles east-northeast of Memphis, Tennessee, to the point 60 miles northeast of Dyersburg. The advisory warned of an area of scattered to numerous Level 4 to 6 thunderstorms moving from 280 degrees at 10 knots, with thunderstorm tops at or above 50,000 feet msl.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Surface Analysis Chart for 1900 depicted the primary synoptic conditions at the surface immediately after the accident as a low pressure system with a stationary front extending west-northwest of the low; the low and frontal systems extended over the route of flight and were located south of the accident location.

The NWS Weather Depiction Chart for 1700 depicted an area of MVFR conditions in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. The station models in the area of MVFR conditions indicated visibility 4 miles in thunderstorms with overcast sky conditions at 5,000 feet. Otherwise VFR conditions prevailed over the route of flight. No large areas of IFR conditions were depicted over the region.

The NWS Radar Summary Chart for 1820 depicted a larg