ATL06LA058

The pilot departed Pine Bluff, Arkansas on a local flight and landed in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The pilot informed a lineman after landing that he had been flying for 60 years and that he was lost, almost out of gas, did not have any maps, and he did not know how to get home. An attempt was made by the lineman to fly with the pilot back to Pine Bluff or drive him home in a car. The pilot declined the offer. The pilot departed Clarksdale enroute to Pine Bluff. A witness located in the vicinity of Double Springs, Alabama, observed the airplane approaching his location at a very low altitude above the trees. The airplane turned to the left, flew over a day care center, made another turn, and flew towards the south. A short time later the witness heard an impact noise. The witness informed his mother he thought an airplane had crashed. They both departed to a friends house located in the vicinity of the crash site, went to the edge of a wood line and observed a flashing red light. They called out to see if any one would answer, the pilot responded and walked out of the wood line. The pilot informed them he had been involved in a vehicle accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the right wing was accelerated forward. The left wing was separated from the airframe and the leading edge of the wing was compressed inward. The left and right flaps were fully extended. No anomalies were noted with the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly and accessories. The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he had no idea how he ended up in Double Springs, Alabama. The pilot had been diagnosed by his private physician with dementia since 2003, but had concealed that diagnosis from the FAA.

History of flight

On March 31, 2006, at 2015 central standard time, a Cessna 182T, N2157V, registered to Wings South Inc., and operated by a private owner as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees while maneuvering in the vicinity of Double Springs, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The airline transport rated pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated at Fletcher Field, Clarksdale, Mississippi, on March 31, 2006, at 1800. The destination airport was Grinder Field, Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

According to a lineman at Pine Bluff Aviation Commission, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the pilot departed Pine Bluff at 04:50 PM on March 31, 2006. An employee at Fletcher Field, Clarksdale, Mississippi, stated he noticed the airplane landing at the airport at 05:45 PM. The pilot was having trouble deciding which exit to take to the ramp. The airplane stopped at each exit until the airplane came to the end of the runway. The airplane was subsequently taxied to the ramp. The pilot shut down the airplane and exited with out turning off the master switch. Upon exiting the airplane the pilot stated, "You know I've been flying for 60 years, and don't tell anybody, but I'm lost. I know I'm in Clarksdale, but I don't know how to get home." The employee having worked at Grinder Field asked the pilot the names of 3 or 4 people. The pilot had a blank look on his face. The pilot informed him that he was almost out of gas and he did not have any maps. The employee informed the pilot to go inside and he could obtain a map. The pilot paid for his fuel and returned to the airplane. The employee stated to the fixed base operator owner (FBO) that, "this guy (the pilot) has something wrong with him, almost like dementia or Alzheimer's." The employee watched the pilot return to the airplane. The pilot got in and out of the pilot's door 4 times. The employee went out to the airplane and asked the pilot if he had a problem. The pilot stated his door would not close. The employee asked the pilot if he would like them to drive him home and the pilot said no. The pilot entered the airplane through the passenger door, secured the door, slid over to the pilot seat, opened the pilot door, closed it, and secured it with out any problems. The employee returned to the FBO and called Grinder Field and informed them of the situation and asked them to be look out for the pilot. The employee watched the airplane take off and head towards the northeast for a couple of minutes before the airplane turned back towards the northwest. The heading to Pine Bluff is 264-degrees. The heading to Double Springs is 92-degrees.

A witness located at a restaurant in the vicinity of Double Springs, Alabama, stated he heard and observed an airplane approaching his location heading north-northwest. The airplane was at a very low altitude, turned to the left, and flew over a day care center located behind the restaurant. The airplane made another turn and flew south towards highway 278. The witness stated he watched the airplane until he could not see it or its lights. A short time later he heard an impact noise. He went inside the restaurant and informed his mother what he saw and heard. They both went outside and drove their van to a friend's house located near the airplanes last observed location. They contacted the friend at his home and he informed them that he did not hear anything. The friend got his four-wheeler and they all went towards a wood line and observed a flashing red light in the woods. They called out to see if anyone would answer. The pilot responded and walked out of the woods and came to their location. The pilot informed them that he had been in a vehicle accident. The 911 emergency operators were called, and emergency responders arrived on scene.

The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB on April 11, 2006, that he did not know how he ended up in Double Springs, Alabama. He stated he remembered being at a low altitude above the trees looking for an airport or a place to land off site. He stated he did not remember lowering the flaps or the airplane colliding with the trees. He further stated the airplane did not have any mechanical problems before the accident.

Personnel information

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued an airline transport pilot certificate on December 12, 2002, with ratings for airplane multiengine land and instrument, commercial pilot, airplane single engine land, and glider. The pilot held a third class medical issued on January 4, 2005, with the restriction, "must wear corrective lenses." The pilot stated to the NTSB on April 11, 2006, that he had been diagnosed by his private physician with mild cognitive memory impairment (dementia) about 6 to 8 years ago. The pilot stated this information had not been provided to the Aviation Medical Examiner when he renewed his third-class medical certificate. The pilot reported on his application for the medical certificate that he had accumulated 4,250 total flight hours. The pilot voluntarily surrendered his airman certificate to the FAA on April 12, 2006. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed he has 4,106 total flight hours. There are no flights recorded in the Cessna 182T. The last entry in the pilot's logbook is March 5, 2003. There is no entry in the logbook for a current flight review.

Aircraft information

Review of the airplane logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was conducted on January 14, 2005. The tachometer time was 19 hours and the total time since new was 19 hours. The tachometer time at the crash site was 43.1 hours. The Hobbs meter at the crash site was 51.0 and the airframe total time was 51 hours. The altimeter encoding system and static system check was performed on December 28, 2005. The airplane was refueled last at Clarksdale, Mississippi, on March 31, 2006, and 31 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel was added to the left main fuel tank.

Meteorological information

The 2053 surface weather observation at Northwest Alabama Regional Airport, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, located 39 nautical miles northwest of the crash site was: wind 200-degrees at 9 knots, visibility 9 miles, clear, temperature 66 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 63 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 30.07.

Wreckage and impact information

The wreckage was located 1 mile west of Double Springs, Alabama, and one-quarter mile south of Highway 278 in a wooded area behind the American Legion. The FAA conducted the on scene examination of the wreckage. Examination of the wreckage revealed the airplane collided with trees in a descending 45-degree nose down level attitude and it came to rest in a nose down attitude on a heading between 205 to 210 degrees magnetic. The NTSB conducted a follow up examination after the airplane was recovered to Griffin, Georgia, on April 14, 2006. The propeller remained attached to the propeller flange and the spinner-received damage. No evidence of rotation was present on the spinner. One propeller blade was turned 180-degrees in the propeller hub and bent aft. Another propeller blade was turned 90-degrees with the leading edge forward, and bent towards the cambered side. The remaining propeller blade received leading edge bending at the propeller tip. The engine assembly was displaced to the right, and the engine cowling was buckled on both sides. The lower firewall was buckled up and aft into the cabin area. The right side of the firewall was pushed aft. The nose landing gear was bent backwards, and separated from the airframe.

The fuselage forward of the forward doorpost was pushed up and aft. The right cabin door was jammed closed. The left door upper hinge was separated. All seats remained attached to the fuselage. The throttle was in the forward position.